Nightmare's Calling
by MaChaChao
Summary: A nightmare brought two lost siblings back together. But Zhou Tai had no idea of what a ride his sister would take him and the kingdom of Wu on. A tale of Zhou Tai's past and Wu's future. COMPLETE
1. The Haunting Figure

_The rain sounded like stones against the walls and the roof. Outside, the storm had been raging for the better part of an hour, the thunder and lighting penetrating though the windows of the house. Children could be heard crying for the rain to stop while their parents tried fruitlessly to calm them down. It was a night that would drag on until morning rescued the tired people and a new day began. _

Li Tai, however, enjoyed the rain. She loved its cool feel on her face as she danced through it, and the clean feeling it gave her after it had stopped. Granted, in a storm like this, she couldn't be outside, but she could enjoy it from indoors. She listened to it pound against the roof, the rhythmic sounds soothing her. Sometimes she would wish for that sound on nights that were too hot for sleep, so that maybe she could have a few hours respite. Sometimes she wished she could just wash away with the rain, see what it saw. It just seemed so peaceful in contrast to the howling winds and crashing thunder that came with it. Sighing, she turned back to her cot on the floor.

Then she saw it.

A massive figure loomed in her doorway, blocking everything outside. Li just stared at it, not sure if it was a man or a monster. The figure didn't move, nor did Li. They seemed locked in their own world, the outside ceasing to exist. It was both frightening and astounding.

A scream brought Li back to the real world. She looked outside as people ran screaming from their homes, driven by soldiers brandishing swords and spears. Li turned back to the figure, realizing then what it was. It was a man, a soldier just like the one outside. And her was here to get her.

Eyes wide with terror, Li Tai cowered in the corner of her room as the figure came closer, closer, closer...

Li jumped awake, panting and sweating heavily. She looked around. She was still in the servants' quarters, the other women sleeping soundly. None of them had stirred from Li's abrupt awakening. She sighed heavily and rubbed her temples. Another nightmare, she said to herself. Nothing more. Still, she had been having that nightmare for too many nights now. It was always the same; the figure appearing in her doorway, coming to get her. She didn't know why this dream kept recurring. She just knew that it was becoming more and more irritating.

The sun began to pour through the small window opposite Li's bed, finalizing her decision to get an early start. She slowly got out of bed and pulled her servant's garb from the small trunk under her bed. After dressing and washing her face in the small water basin, Li headed towards the kitchen. Sometimes she could catch the cook before he finished preparations for the morning meal and sneak a few buns for herself for later. It beat the cold leftovers that she would have after the Sun family finished their meal.

About an hour later, Li Tai had assembled along with the other servants to receive their duties for the day. She chatted with several of the other women in the room before the head servant called for attention. "As you well know, several of our officers will be arriving later today from the Southern campaigns. It has been a long time since they've seen home, so we want to make sure that the journey and the battles were worth it. Many of you will be reassigned for that period of time in order to accommodate the needs of these officers."

The room buzzed with talk now. Some hoped for a job that would involve contact with one of the officers, while others talked of sneaking into the palace to catch a glimpse of them when they returned. Li Tai rolled her eyes. Many of them were just hopeless romantics. But she talked excitedly with them just the same.

Li heard her name and made her way towards the head servant to receive her duties. The piece of parchment ordered her to help lead the officers' horses to the stables and care for them when they arrived. Li grinned. She had always loved horses. It would be a nice break from the human world, if only for a few hours. Plus it would mean missing the banquet that would be held after their arrival. Li had never been much of a social person. Maybe it was her meager upbringing. Whatever it was, it didn't matter. She would have her way regardless, and at that point, that was all that mattered.

* * *

The courtyard was a mob scene when the army arrived home early that evening. People gathered in the streets to welcome the soldiers home, and those that couldn't fit hung out of windows and cheered from the rooftops. Li could hear the cheering from the stables, which were a good distance away from the main road. She sighed as she made her way towards the center of the city to relieve the poor horses of their burdens. 

Li managed to get through the crowds and gather the horses without any trouble. Along with several other stable hands, they put the horses in their stalls and fed and watered them. There was some small talk as they worked, but not enough to pull Li from the horses. The other stable hands were men, and they didn't like to associate with her for some reason. Whatever. Li didn't care. She kind of liked the privacy.

The start of the feast could be heard a short while later. The other men were anxious to leave and go watch the feast, so Li told them that she would take care of the rest of the horses. They left without objection, finally leaving Li Tai alone. As she made her way towards the other end of the stable, she noticed a weapon still strapped onto one of the horses. Some officer must have been in a hurry. No matter. She would take it to them later. She began to unstrap it from the horse, being careful not to get it dirty or scratched.

Li held the sword for a moment. She was struck by the intricate designs that covered the holster, and the smooth feeling of the handle against her hand. Slowly, she drew the sword. The blade was spotless, so much so that Li could see her reflection in it. It was beautiful.

Hearing footsteps, Li quickly sheathed the sword and turned around. He smile disappeared and her eyes went wide. It was the figure. Its looming body filled the entrance, its cape blowing in the breeze. Li stared at it. Was she dreaming again? No, she couldn't be. She tired to move, but her legs wouldn't work. The figure took a step closer, then another, and another. And Li's world went black as the figure came closer...


	2. Memories of a Sister

Li Tai slowly opened her eyes to find herself in an unfamiliar room. She looked around but saw no one. Satisfied that she would not be disturbed, she set her head back down on her pillow. Judging by the view out of the window, it was late into the night. Everyone else must be asleep, she thought. Suddenly feeling awake, she sat up and waited for her head to clear. When her vision focused, she slipped out of bed and opened the door. Looking around the hall, she guessed that she was in another part of the servant's wing, most likely where the servants of guests stayed. It's too bad they were nicer than her own quarters, but such was the life of a servant. Li shook her head and started down the hall. She really should get back to her own room.

She rounded a corner and gave a sigh of relief. She was beginning to recognize her surroundings, enough so that she could get back to her room. As she walked down the long hallway, she noticed a person standing not far off. Wondering if they were lost or something, Li made her ways towards the person. She opened her mouth to speak when the person turned around.

It was the figure again.

But this time, Li found the use of her legs. She began to cower backwards, ready to run if the figure should approach her. She looked up towards the head and saw nothing but its eyes. For a moment, they locked. Neither moved, lost in each other's gaze. Li felt a strange feeling, like she had seen those eyes before. But, that was impossible. She had never met this...this...thing before. Slowly, she began to back away again. The figure continued to stare at her, but didn't move.

Li bumped into something behind her and whirled around. She quickly fell to her knees and bowed her head.

"Forgive me, Lord Lu Meng. I did not see you. I just..."

Lu Meng put a hand on her shoulder. "It's quite alright, my dear. I was just checking to see if you were okay, but found your room empty."

Li Tai nodded and was about to explain when the figure moved into the light. Lu Meng smiled.

"Ah, Zhou Tai. Trouble sleeping again?"

Li studied the figure that had appeared from the shadows. He was dressed in battle garb from head to toe, but kept his helmet on his head. The helmet made his eyes nothing but slits from under the brim, and she could make out a deep scar across his cheek. He was at least a foot taller than she was, but he kept his back straight and his posture upright. He almost seemed to carry authority, yet at the same time, he appeared shy and reserved. The man moved his eyes from Li Tai to Lu Meng

"No. I wasn't tired to begin with," he said in a deep, gruff voice. It sent a chill though Li' s body.

Lu Meng shrugged. "Suit yourself." He turned to Li Tai. "As for me, I have fulfilled my duties. You seem to be in fine order, so if it is alright with you, my lady, I will retire back to my bed."

Li giggled at him calling her a lady, but nodded in response. Lu Meng left, leaving her and Zhou Tai alone in the hallway. For a moment, neither said anything. The silence was deafening. Li looked around, hoping for an escape. She noticed the sword she had seen earlier strapped to his side. So it had been his sword all along. That's why he was there. She just hoped he wasn't planning on using it on her.

Zhou Tai noticed her staring at it and put a hand on the handle. "Thank you for returning my Katana," he said, almost in a whisper. "I hope I did not frighten you."

Li Tai stared at him. Was this really the same man whom she saw in the stables? This polite, reserved man? No, it couldn't be. Yet, something in his eyes told her that it was the same person, hard as it was to believe. She wanted to say something to him, tell him that he had a very beautiful sword or something. But before she could find words, he gave her a nod and headed off in the direction she had come. Li stood for a moment, alone, trying to understand what had just happened. Shaking her head, she decided that it was too much and headed off towards her own quarters.

The next day was full of talking and laughing about what had happened at the banquet and what officer did what and who they'd talked to, the usual. Li usually just smiled and pretended to be interested, but she couldn't even put on her guise today. She kept to herself, still trying to make sense of the previous night. Was Zhao Tai truly the figure from her nightmares? And what was his connection to her? She felt like she had known him forever in that short moment when their eyes locked, and unless his own eyes betrayed him, she could see the same feeling in them.

She was pulled from her thoughts by one of the younger servants tugging on her arm. "Li, are you alright?" she asked nervously. Li shook her head and smiled.

"Yes, dear, I'm fine. I just had a late night, that's all." The girl seemed satisfied and went back to her chore. One of the other, older servants waited until she was gone before approaching Li.

"Late night, huh?" Li looked up and rolled her eyes. Hua Ling was always trying to spread rumors and cause trouble. "I heard that you fainted, and that Zhou Tai had to carry you to one of the guest rooms. Is it true?"

Several other women stopped to listen in on the conversation. Li ignored Hua until the large woman positioned herself right in front of her. Li sighed and stood to face her.

"Yes, Hua, I fainted. I don't know if Zhou Tai carried me back. I ran into him on my way back to my room, and we talked briefly. Nothing more." Li bent down to finish washing the floor, ushering Hua Ling to the side. The rest of the women went back to their own duties, this time talking about Zhou Tai.

"I've never actually seen him. I hear he hides in the shadows, afraid to show his face."

"He's supposed to be really handsome. Well, until he got that scar, anyway."

"Is he actually Sun Quan's personal bodyguard? I see them talking all of the time."

Li half listened to the chatter. She really didn't care about anything they said. All she could think about was how much he looked like the figure from her dreams. It still haunted her. She shook it off and tried to get back to her work. She focused her attention on one persistent spot until one line caught her attention.

"I heard he came from Xia Cai, in the Jiu Jiang Province. He used to be a pirate, but now personally serves Sun Ce and Sun Quan."

Li stopped. Xia Cai? That's where she was born. Granted, she wasn't there for very long before she became a servant of Wu. But it still stuck with her. How odd that Zhou Tai would be from the same village, much less the same province. She shook her head. Those women didn't know that for a fact. They were probably wrong, like they usually were. Li pushed the thought from her mind as she went back to the floor.

* * *

Zhou Tai leaned against the railing, letting the cool breeze blow over his face. He hated the fact that his face was too ugly for people to see all the time, but it was good to feel the wind once in a while. He ran a finger over his scar, remembering the blow he had taken to save his Lord Sun Quan. He carried that scar with a mix of pride and remorse. He wished he could make it go away. He let out a heavy sigh as he ruffled his hair, trying to rub away the memories that kept flooding back. He wished Sun Jian would send him on another campaign so he could keep his mind occupied. He hated just sitting and doing nothing. It bored him.

"So, finally the helmet comes off of his head." Zhou Tai turned to see Lu Meng stride over. "What's this, the third time it's left your head?"

Zhou Tai chuckled. "Very funny." He let out another sigh as he continued to lean against the railing. Lu Meng, seeing his troubled face, put a hand on his shoulder.

"I wish I weren't so disfigured looking," Zhou Tai said.

"We've had this discussion before," Lu Meng responded. "You are the way you are. If other people have issues with it, then it's their problem, not yours." He studied his friend for a moment. "Is this about the servant girl?"

"She fainted when she saw me. You saw her. She's terrified of me. I've never scared anyone like that before, especially a woman."

Lu Meng leaned on the railing next to his friend. "And it has nothing to do with you hiding in the shadows all of the time?" Zhou Tai gave a small grin. "I wouldn't concern yourself with it. She's just another servant girl. Her opinion won't make a whole lot of difference."

Zhou Tai faltered before he spoke. "It's just that...well...she reminds me of someone." Lu Meng gave him a curious look, and he continued. "I don't remember much of my family. But, for some reason, I remember having a sister. People used to say that we had the same eyes." He turned to Lu Meng. "She had those same eyes. I could see them last night. It was like looking into my own eyes."

"So, where is your sister then?" Lu Meng asked.

"I don't know. When I was seven, our village was attacked by bandits. I remember sitting in the bedroom I shared with my sister when a tall man came. I couldn't see his face. He was just this black figure, towering in our doorway. He took my sister and knocked her out. Then he picked her up and left. By the time I came to my senses and went after them, they were no where to be found. I tried to look for them, and it was during my journey that I became a pirate." He paused. "I don't know why I remember that. All I know is that that woman reminded me of her."

Lu Meng thought for a moment. "Well, then I think we need to find this woman. If you truly have a sister, then she must be out there somewhere." He put a hand on his shoulder again. "Come. Let's find this sister of yours and put these memories to rest."


	3. Discovery

The next day Zhou Tai and Lu Meng made their way towards the library, near the center of the palace. The room was filled with book, scroll, and parchment scattered all over the place. At times it seemed endless. This was where their scholars and strategists would gather to discuss and write. Zhou Tai had been in here on one other occasion, and it was so long ago that he couldn't remember what it was. He focused this thoughts on the task at hand as Lu Meng pulled him in another direction, towards a long table. Zhou Yu was showing Lu Xun some battle plan that he had used against Cao Cao some time before, teaching him about the strategy involved. Lu Xun was rapt, taking every word. Zhou Tai rolled his eyes under his helmet. He hated all this learning. To him, one should only learn what is needed. The rest was pointless. He would rather train his body than his mind.

Lu Meng slapped his hand against the table top. Lu Xun jumped, but Zhou Yu just shook his head. "Lu Meng, you need to find new ways of getting people's attention. This get very old very quick."

Lu Meng grinned. "Sorry. I'm old fashioned." Lu Xun snickered as Zhou Yu continued to give him an annoyed look.

"Well, what do you want?" he asked impatiently.

"I was hoping you could tell us where the records are of those living in the Jiu Jiang Province. Zhou Tai and I need to clear up a mystery."

Lu Xun clearly wanted to ask more, but Zhou Yun pointed towards a section behind him. "All of the records for that area are back there. I don't know how far back you're looking, but they go back quite a ways." Both nodded and headed towards the back as Zhou Yu and Lu Xun went back to the plans. There were quite a few scrolls and books, with only a few bearing labels. Lu Meng sighed and pulled down a book.

"Well, let's start somewhere," he said as ho opened the book and began to read.

* * *

_Li Tai smiled as she stuck her hand out of the window, letting rain wash over her fingers. She loved the rain for some reason. Lighting struck not far off, and she pulled her hand back inside. Despite the lighting and thunder, she liked this kind of weather. She liked the cool feel of the rain and the clean feeling she had after walking through it. She rested her head on the window ledge, letting the wind blow in her face. _

"Li, you need to go to bed." Li turned around to see a boy sitting opposite her on a matching cot. He had her brownish black hair, her sharp features, and her deep, dark eyes. He rolled his eyes at her as she stared out if the window. "Tomorrow's going to be long again, and you need to rest."

Li made a face at him. He was always acting like this, pretending to be the father figure all of the time. He made a face back, and soon they were giggling at each other like little kids. A clap of thunder made them both jump, and they decided to try and sleep.

Then the figure appeared.

Both of them stared as the man towered in the doorway as people screamed outside. Neither moved, afraid that would come closer. Li looked over at the boy, who just continued to stare at the figure. His eyes were wide in fear. Eyes that had never shown any kind of fear before. Li looked back at the figure, and it took a step inside the room. Then another, and another. Li watched in fear as it came towards her, ignoring the boy and heading straight for her cot...

Li jumped awake. Several of the other women looked at her briefly before turning back to their conversations. They were outside, taking a break from the hustle if work inside. Li had apparently fallen asleep while leaning against a tree. No one else had seemed to notice. She rubbed her temples again, feeling a headache coming on. The bell calling them to get back to work didn't help either. She got up and followed the other women inside, heading towards the kitchen to help wash dishes.

As she submerged her hands in the water, she thought about the dream again. It was the same nightmare she had been having, except now there was another person there. A boy. She thought it was odd that she hadn't seen him in her dream before now. Who was he? she thought. He looked so much like me, right down to the eyes. He had the same eyes as she had. The same eyes that Zhou Tai had. Li stopped. Zhou Tai had the same eyes as her. She hadn't thought about it much until now, except when she had first seen him in the hallway. What was going on? Why was she suddenly feeling like Zhou Tai was everywhere, and that he was somehow connected to her? Her head swelled with question as she scrubbed the plates, and no answers came to her.

* * *

"Found it." Zhou Tai leaned over as Lu Meng pointed to a small section in the book he was looking at. "Here's a list of all the people who lived in Xia Cai during that time." Zhou Tai had asked for the time from his birth until he was ten, which is when he left home. He looked over the list, not seeing any familiar names. Near the end, he spotted his own name, along with what he assumed was his father's and mother's names. There was only one other name on the list under his. Zhou Tai stared at it, his eyes going wide with shock. 

Li Tai.

"Wasn't that the name of the servant girl?" he asked. Lu Meng thought a moment before nodding. Zhou Tai looked up. "So that would explain some things, like the similar features and such." He frowned. "But it doesn't explain why she became so scared of me in the stables."

Lu Meng leaned back in the chair. "Well, you mentioned that a dark figure came and took your sister away. Do you think she mistook you for that dark figure when she saw you in the stables?"

Zhou Tai shrugged. "I don't know." He turned to Lu Meng. "But we have to find her and tell her about all of this."

"But what if this is wrong and she's not your sister?"

"I'll have to take that risk." Zhou Tai stared at the name. And he had a hunch that that servant girl was indeed his sister. He had to find out.

* * *

The sun had nearly set before Li and the other servants were able to leave. As they packed up and began to head out, several soldiers marched into the kitchen. The other women looked on curiously as they stopped in front of the crowd. "We are looking for a woman named Li Tai. If she is here, make yourself known." Li Tai gasped. What did they want with her? She didn't do anything wrong, or at least she didn't remember doing so. She wanted to run and hide, but all of the others were looking at her, so she slowly stepped forward. 

"I am Li Tai," she said in a barely audible voice. The soldier who had spoke nodded.

"Come with us. Lords Lu Meng and Zhou Tai must speak with you." Before Li could even comprehend what they had said, the other two soldiers grabbed her arms and marched her away from the puzzled looks and curious tongues that now filled the kitchen.

The men stopped just outside of a large door. Li recognized this as the meeting room door. Only high ranking officers were allowed inside here. The only time she had heard of servants being in here is when they were being charged of treason or some other offense. Li tried to control her breathing as the men opened the door and lead her inside. She couldn't imagine what she had done, but it must have been really awful if they were taking her here.

They seated her at the end of a long table, one that could have easily fit up to thirty officers. Li could make out two other figures at the other end of the room. She watched as the soldiers bowed and left, leaving the three of the alone. As soon as the door was shut, Lu Meng and Zhou Tai approached her, one on either side. Li braced herself for whatever accusations they were about to make, ready to defend herself. Without a word, Lu Meng dropped an open book on the table in front of her.

"Li Tai, where were you born?" he asked. Li took a deep breath.

"I was born in Xia Cai, in the Jiu Jiang Province, my lords."

"Do you recall any other family members that you might have had?"

Li thought for a moment, remembering the boy from her dreams. Could he have been a brother? she thought. "There may have been a brother," she said, "but I can't recall." Lu Meng nodded, and then pointed to a section in the book in front of her.

"This is a record of all of the people living in Xia Cai at the time you were born. The head of each family is in bold print, while the others in his family are listed underneath." He pointed to the last name on the list, which happened to be her own. "We found your name here." He moved his finger to the name above it. "According to these records, you had one other sibling. A brother."

Li stared at the name. This couldn't be right. There had to be some mistake. Yet there it was, as clear as day.

Zhou Tai.

"This means that you and Lord Zhou Tai are brother and sister, separated when you were both seven years of age," Lu Meng said. Li looked up at the figure on her left. Zhou Tai stared back at her, his face unchanged. Yet his eyes held a different emotion. Happiness. Li offered him a smile, and Zhou Tai slowly returned it.

"Congratulations," Lu Meng said, offering a grin of his own. "You have found each other without knowing that you were looking." He put a hand on Li's shoulder. "I believe that you both have some catching up to do, so if you don't mind, I will take my leave." He looked up at Zhou Tai. "I will go and inform Lord Sun Jian of this happy reunion. I will return later." With that, he turned and left, leaving the two siblings behind to rediscover what they had lost.


	4. Reunion

Li and Zhou Tai had decided to get out of the stuffy meeting room and walk through the gardens of the capital. Neither said anything as they walked down the many paths, occasionally stopping to greet another person who walked by. After about fifteen minutes, they came to a small pond in the middle of the gardens and decided to sit on the bench in front of it. Li wanted desperately to ask Zhou Tai about what had happened the night they were separated. But she wasn't sure if it was proper to ask the first question. She was, after all, still a servant. Luckily, she didn't have to wait long.

"So," Zhou Tai began, "how did you become a servant here?" He kept his gaze on the water. Clearly, he didn't speak much or interact with others in general. Li wondered why that was.

"Well, I guess it was the night we were separated," Li said, keeping her eyes down out of respect. Zhou Tai was still of higher rank than she was. "All I remember was that figure coming for me. When I woke up afterwards, I was in a tent with several other women who had apparently been taken as well. A man told us that we were now under the command of Lord Sun Jian, and that we were being taken to the capital. Ever since then, I've been a servant here." Zhou Tai nodded in reply but said nothing. Li took a deep breath and turned towards him. It couldn't hurt to ask just one question. "If you don't mind me asking, my lord, what happened to you that night? The night we were separated."

He looked at her, and Li quickly diverted her eyes back to her lap. Zhou Tai gently reached out and tilted her chin up so she was forced to look into his eyes. His face had softened slightly. "Li, you are now my sister. You don't need to be so formal with me." Li nodded, not sure what to say. Zhou Tai turned his gaze back towards the pond. "It took me a moment to realize that you had just been taken. When I went to look for you, both you and the figure were gone. I felt alone, but I stayed at the house for a few more years. When you didn't come back, I decided to look for you." He stopped, choosing his words carefully. "I met a pirate on my journey, and he told me that if I served him that he would help me find you."

Li's eyes went wide. "You used to be a pirate?"

Zhou nodded. "I'm not proud of it, because my captain neither helped nor tried to. I decided to come and serve Wu, and have been serving Lords Sun Ce and Sun Quan ever since." Li nodded as she stared at him. She could not imagine him ever being a pirate or ever acting like one. But she guessed that it didn't matter. He had apparently changed his ways and become a more respectable man. She reached out and gently put a hand over his own.

"I don't know what you used to be like. But since we've met, you have done nothing that would suggest that you were a pirate. Don't let your past hold you back." Zhou Tai looked at her with a mixture of surprise and awe. She diverted her eyes again, afraid that she had said something wrong. Again, he reached out and tilted her chin upwards. But this time, he kept his hand on her chin, staring into her eyes. She gave him a confused look.

"No one has ever said anything like that to me before. Many still just see me as a pirate, as someone who will never change." He let go but continued to look into her eyes. "Thank you," he said in barely a whisper.

Li tried to look back into his eyes, but he still wore his helmet. Curious, Li moved her had closer to try and see what he was hiding underneath. He quickly turned his head away, as if afraid to let her see his face. Li gently put a hand on his shoulder.

"Zhou Tai, why do you hide your face under your helmet? It can't be that bad." She felt his shoulders slump under her touch.

"My face is disfigured," he said softly, as if saying it out loud would make it true. "In saving my lord Sun Quan's life, I paid the price. It's left me with a hideous looking face."

Li was sad to see her brother be so down on himself. True, she hadn't known him for very long, but it pained her to see him upset over this. She leaned in far enough that he had to look her in the eyes. "Zhou Tai, you are my brother. I could never turn you away, no matter how ugly you believe you are. Please, let me see your face."

Zhou Tai lowered his gaze, as if afraid to meet her own. "I've already scared you," he said. "I don't wish to do it again."

Li offered him a smile. "I promise you won't scare me. Please."

He let out a long breath before reaching up towards his helmet. Slowly, he pulled it off, letting the mass of dark hair fall around his face. Li looked into his eyes, the same eyes that she had herself. He had her sharp features and dark skin. The only difference was his scar. He had a long one that ran from under his left eye all the way down his cheek, ending at his jawbone. She smiled in spite of herself. This hardly qualified for disfigurement. Gently, she ran her finger down the full length of the scar before laying her hand on his cheek.

"See? You're still my brother, and I'm still your sister. I haven't gone anywhere." She could sense his relief and gave him a smile." You still look handsome to me. Scars and all."

For the first time, Zhou Tai's expression softened. "Really? Scars and all?"

Li's smile grew. "Really."

Zhou Tai gave her a smile of his own, and before she could react, wrapped his arms around her in a gentle embrace. Li hugged him back, resting her head on his big shoulder. For once, she felt contented with her life. She felt like she had been waiting for this moment for a long time without expecting it. And as the brother and sister embraced, that time was now.

* * *

There was a great banquet in Zhou and Li Tai's honor the next evening. Sun Jian had been delighted to know that one of his best officers had family in his capital, and had officially made Li a lady of the court. She had quickly been welcomed into Zhou Tai's circle of friends and fellow officers. Sun Jian's daughter, Sun Shang Xiang, in particular enjoyed having another woman that she could talk to other than the Qiao sisters, who were also excited to have Li join them as a lady of the court. Her brother introduced her to many of his fellow officers, each giving her a slight bow. It was something Li had never experienced before. She had to keep reminding herself that she was no longer a servant, and that she didn't need to bow to everyone anymore. It would take adjusting, but she was confident that she could do it. 

It was after the banquet that Lady Sun took Li to her new apartments. Being one of the few single women in the palace, Li and Sun Shang had their own corridor. Li loved the fact that it was open, so she could walk from her room and be right outside. Her own room was spacious, filled with the most beautiful furniture and linens that Li had ever seen. Sun Shang laughed as she tried to take in everything at once, enjoying the antics of a servant woman who was now, in a sense, royalty. After showing her where everything was, Li invited her to stay for a while, as everyone else had long since retired for the night. They stayed up for several hours, talking about different things (you know how girl talk is) and swapping stories. They discovered that they were very similar to each other, except on one topic.

"Eww. Why would you want to get married?" Sun Shang asked, making a disgusted face at Li.

"Why wouldn't you?" Li asked back. "I can't wait to get married, especially now that my selection has increased." Lady Sun pretended to gag and lightly pushed Li, sending both of them into a fit of giggles.

"I just can't see anyone here as my husband," Lady Sun said honestly. "I've grown up with all of these guys. They're more like my extended family, not my future husbands or anything."

Li shrugged. "I understand that. And I'm not saying that I'm looking for anyone right here, right now. I just know that I want to get married."

"Hmmm. You can't say you aren't looking," Sun Shang said, looking smug. "I know for a fact that I saw both Lu Meng and Taishi Ci attempting to flirt with you at the banquet. You weren't exactly pushing them away either." Li blushed and fake punched her friend.

"Oh, stop," she said. "I can't help myself." The two began giggling again when there was a knock on the door. It opened, and Lu Meng stuck his head in.

"Pardon my intrusion, but I believe I heard giggling in here. Is everything alright?" He looked around, pretending to be confused. Sun Shang grinned.

"Lord Lu Meng, ladies don't giggle. I thought you knew that." He grinned back.

"My apologies. I will take my leave then." he turned to Li. "By the way, welcome to the court, Lady Li Tai." He shut the door, and they waited until they could no long here his footsteps before breaking into a fit of laughter.

"You can't tell me he doesn't like you," Lady Sun said, trying not to cry from laughter. Li fell back on the bed, laughing too hard to respond. She was finally beginning to feel at home here. Not as a servant, but as a lady. And she couldn't wait to see what tomorrow would bring.


	5. A Touch Of Jealousy

The sunlight poured through Li's eyes as she slowly opened them. She gently stretched her arms as she looked around, smiling. She still couldn't believe that she was now a lady of Sun Jian's court. It was hard adjusting to the fact that she no longer had to bow to those passing by or address everyone as 'Sir' or 'Ma'am'. It was going to take time. But Li had no trouble at all adjusting to the new luxuries that her new title gave her. She was not complaining about sleeping in silk sheets or wearing fine robes or waking up in the most beautiful room she had ever seen. Excited about what she would discover today, she threw off the covers and jumped out of bed.

After bathing and dressing, Li Tai opened her door and ventured out into the hallway. It was almost completely empty of people, and those that were there were busy running from room to room, carrying baskets of linens and trays of food. Many of the servants gave her a slight bow as she passed, which made Li feel slightly uncomfortable since she knew quite a few of them. But she smiled and nodded to them in response. This was going to take some getting used to.

She reached the end of the hall and stopped. One servant had caught her eye as she hurried around the corner with a basket of laundry. The woman looked up and also stopped, looking Li up and down for a moment. Hua Ling just stared at her, jealousy slowly forming in her large, blue eyes. Had it been anyone else, Hua might have been reprimanded for looking anyone of higher class in the eye. But Li had no voice for such scolding. She knew how Hua felt. She just hoped she wouldn't do anything about it.

"So, how is the good life treating you?" Hua asked smugly. Li knew she was trying to get her in trouble, so she remained calm and poised, refusing to look down at the large woman.

"Fine," she replied. She turned to go, but Hua Ling wasn't finished yet.

"Oh, so now you're all high and mighty, and can't talk to people of lower status. I see how it is. I guess your old friends aren't good enough for you anymore."

Li turned around, trying to keep her emotions in check. "First of all, no, I'm not supposed to talk to people of lower class than me. It's a rule, and not one I made up. Second, you were never my friend. All you did was spread gossip and rumors about others, including myself, to make yourself look and feel better. Last time I checked, friends didn't do things like that." She straightened herself again, and turned to go. "Now, If you'll excuse me, I have other things to do."

* * *

Hua Ling just stared as Li Tai turned the corner and walked away. The nerve of that woman! But no matter. Li was right about one thing. Hua knew how to spread just the right rumor to ring a person down to their knees. All she had to do now was think of a good one. The game was on.

* * *

Li rounded the corner of the next hallway to find Lady Sun talking to her brother, Sun Quan. She gave a slight bow as she approached, which Sun Shang returned. Sun Quan smiled.

"Ah, its good to see you, Lady Tai." He turned to his sister. "I will run the plan by you again after Zhou Yu and Lu Xun have picked it over." He bowed to them. "Good day, ladies."

Sun Shang smiled, and the two headed towards the main hall. "So, how was your first morning as a Lady of the court?" she asked.

"Well, it's yet another thing that I'll have to learn to live with," Li said. Lady Sun laughed.

"I can't say much about that. I've been doing it my whole life." She turned to her new friend. "What was it like, being a servant? You must have been a hard worker, because normally I see most of the servants that run around the palace, but I don't ever recall seeing you."

Li's smile faded a bit at this question as memories of her encounter with Hua resurfaced. "I worked mostly in the kitchen and the stables. I grew up in those places, so that's where I'm usually stationed." They walked a few steps in silence before Sun Shang noticed Li's distressed face.

"Are you alright, Li?" she asked, concerned. Li faltered for a moment before deciding to tell her about Hua Ling. She felt like she could trust Lady Sun.

"I ran into one of the women I worked with earlier. She wasn't too happy about my new situation. Of all the servants, she is the only one that concerns me. He's a very good liar, and she loves to spread rumors about others. I guess I'm just nervous that she's going to say something about me."

Lady Sun let out a laugh at this. Li Tai gave her a confused look, and Sun Shang put a hand on her shoulder. "Li, you are Zhou Tai's sister. He is one of the most loyal and honest officers that we have, despite his shaky upbringings. He would never believe any rumors spread about you. Besides, you have caught the attention of several of our male officers, all of whom are good friends with Zhou Tai. I can't see any of them believing what the servants say about you."

Li's face lightened as her mood became better again. It was good to finally have a friend that she could rely on. She couldn't recall ever having one before. This would be one of the few easy things to get used to.

* * *

Hua Ling stood in the corner of the dining hall with some of the other servants, watching Sun Jian, his family, and other high class members eat, talk, and laugh. She had never had a problem with it before. Having been a servant al of her life, she had been taught that this was the way things were. But then again, she had never seen a low class member rise to a higher class overnight. And it was sickening.

She watched the other side of the room, where Li Tai was seated next to her brother, with Lords Lu Meng, Taishi Ci, and Sun Quan talking with her. At that moment, Hua hated everything about Li, from her smile to her laugh, from her robes to her hair. At that moment, Li had everything, and Hua had nothing. Li Tai even had men vying for her attention, something that Hua herself had never had. The jealousy that had overwhelmed her earlier had now been consumed by anger and rage. She wanted Li Tai to suffer like she was doing now. She would give anything to see that woman fall.

One of the younger servants stopped next to Hua and pointed to Li. "Isn't it wonderful, Hua? Li finally found her family. And who knew that they were right here, all this time?'

She scowled as the naive woman headed back into the kitchen. Nothing about this situation was wonderful. She had spent her entire life trying to get out of this hellhole known as servitude, and Li Tai is the one that rises to it? Not happening. Hua would have to seduce one of those officers beyond belief in order for her to move up.

Then it hit her.

Hua Ling tried to hide her smile as the wheels turned inside her head, he plan slowly beginning to form. She knew exactly how she was going to bring Li Tai down, even if it required her to fall as well. She smirked. At least she didn't have much farther to fall.

* * *

It was late when Li finally decided to call it a night. Stifling a yawn, she began her trek back to her room. She was really beginning to enjoy her new life. Never before had she been able to wander wherever she wanted, eat whatever she wanted, or talk to whomever she wanted. She could help but feel excited and contented at the same time. She just wished that her dreams had pointed her in this direction sooner.

"Li, hold on." She turned around to see Zhou Tai walking towards her. Well, striding was probably a better term. One step for him was equal to about three for her. She smiled as he finally reached her and gestured towards the end of the hall. "Come on. I'll walk you back to your room." She nodded as they ventured back to the other end of the palace.

They walked down a few halls in silence, before Li couldn't stand it anymore. "By the way, thank you for introducing me to everyone, Zhou. I was worried that I wouldn't have anyone to talk to besides you."

He smiled. "Well, they seem to be glad, too. Many of them have taken a liking to you, I've noticed." Li could feel herself blushing. Thankfully, the darkness helped to hide it as they continued their walk. They passed a little more conversation, mostly about how Li was adjusting and whether she was getting along with everyone or not. Both were paying too much attention to each other to notice the figure that was following them down the halls, listening to every word. When they reached Li Tai's room, it stopped, hiding behind a pole as Zhou Tai bid his sister goodnight and shut the door. It made no motion at all as Zhou Tai passed it and continued down the hall.

Zhou Tai stopped after a few strides. He had that feeling again. The feeling that someone else was there. The hairs began to stand up on his neck as he reached for his Katana. He took a breath and whipped around in time to see a dark figure bolt from his hiding place in the other direction. Without thought, Zhou Tai bolted after it, his sword in hand. But when he rounded the corner, it was gone. There was no sign of it at all. He slowly sheathed his blade and turned around. As he passed by his sister's room, two of the night guards came around the opposite way. They stopped and bowed to him.

"I want you two to keep a look out for anything unusual in this hallway." They nodded to him

"Of course, Lord Tai. Is there any reason, if you don't mind my asking?"

He shrugged. "Gut feeling," was all he said. He turned and disappeared in the direction that the soldiers had come, and they continued with their rounds.

The figure waited until everyone was gone before emerging from behind another pole. A small smile could be see from underneath the long, black hood of the cape. Zhou Tai was even more formidable than he had thought. He knew that he had gotten lucky before, taking advantage of him when he was just seven. But he was a warrior now, and it wouldn't been easy. The figure smiled. He had a mission, but not tonight. Tonight, he was the spy, the scout. He still needed to gather information before he could make his move. The smile grew as the figure grabbed the railing and jumped to the ground, pausing to make sure no one had seen him. He jumped on the horse waiting for him and rode off into the night with only one thought. Zhou Tai had been reunited with his sister, who had blossomed into a beautiful young woman. If anything, he knew that a woman could ruin an man, or an entire kingdom. And he planned to use this new discovery to every advantage possible.


	6. Unfounded Fears

_About one year later_

By the time the morning fog had lifted, the capital of Wu was bustling with activity. Servants were running around, preparing for the arrival of their Lord Sun Jian. He had been away for several months now, inspecting his borders and reassuring his people that the kingdom was safe, and more importantly, normal. Anything out of the ordinary frightened the people more than anything, a topic that was often the butt of every joke between officers. Sun Ce in particular enjoyed this fear, often using it for one of his many pranks. No one, unfortunately, was safe from the wrath of the Little Conqueror.

While the servants hurried about their duties, the soldiers and officers were busy in the training yard. The clang of metal and the snap of wood intermixed with the sound of laughter and shouting as they went about their daily training routine. Often, the soldiers would try and show off to each other with their new moves and improved weapons. But today, the focus was on staying in shape, in case Sun Jian came back and ordered them to battle. Often, he would return from his trips with news of invasions or breaches in the borders, and his men would be gone for a month or so to patch up the problem. Common, but it was enough to keep the soldiers on their toes. Even those who never got to see that kind of action.

"Watch your back!" Sun Shang Xiang shouted as she lunged. Her opponent whipped around and braced for the attack. Sun Shang came down hard with her chakrams, but her opponent blocked them with her long blade. She pushed Sun Shang off of her to the ground, lifting the sword above her. Lady Sun opened her eyes to find the blade inches from her face, buried in the ground, and her opponent grinning above her. Sun Shang smiled as Li Tai offered her a hand and pulled her to her feet. She dusted herself of while Li removed her sword from the ground and sheathed it.

"How was that, Shang?" she asked, eagerly.

"Li, you got this thing down now." Sun Shang picked up one of her chakrams and inspected it. "You now know everything that I do, and in such a short amount of time. You're amazing!"

Li grinned. "They say it runs in the family."

"That it does." The girls turned to see Zhou Tai and Lu Meng standing nearby, watching them. Lu Meng grinned. "When you're related to one of the greatest warriors in the kingdom, is there really any doubt?"

"Meng, stop teasing," Li said, pushing his slightly. They all laughed. Sun Shang wiped a bead of sweat from her face.

"Well, I don't know about you, Li, but I'm beat. I say we head back inside and make ourselves more presentable for my father."

She nodded. "Sounds good." Zhou Tai and Lu Meng nodded, and the four headed back to the palace, eager for their lord to arrive home, safe and sound.

* * *

Li Tai was putting the finishing touches on her makeup when a knock came from her door. She motioned to one of the servants in her room, and she opened the door to reveal Zhou Tai, dressed and ready for Sun Jian's arrival. He came in, stopping a few paces from his sister, and waited for the other women to clear out and close the door. Once the coast was clear, he sat down next to her, staring at her for a minute. Li raised an eyebrow.

"Something on your mind, Zhou?" she asked. He gave her a slight grin.

"Li, have you given any thought to marriage?"

She startled for a moment, then smiled and went back to her makeup. "You really do get to the point, Zhou. As of now, no, I have not given it any thought. I have been focusing on my training." She put her brush down and looked him in the eye. "Why do you ask?"

Zhou Tai shrugged. "Just curious. You have, after all, been here for a year. It is a long time to be without a husband."

She smiled at him. "You sound like you're my father." She turned back to her reflection in the mirror. "Did someone ask for my hand? Is that why you're asking me?"

Slowly, he lifted his helmet off of his head. He only did that when he was with her, and only when he was absolutely serious. "I can see it in some of their eyes. All of them are my good friends. I would trust them with my life. All I ask is that you consider and make a decision." He put his helmet back on and turned to leave. Li grabbed his arm as he stood.

"Zhou, something else is on your mind. Please tell me what it is." He didn't look at her, but he could hear the pleading in her voice. He let out a sigh.

"I am getting worried, Li. I can't explain it, but I feel like something is going to happen soon. Something bad."

"And you want me situated in case something does happen and you aren't there."

Zhou nodded, words escaping him. Li rested a hand on his shoulder. "Okay. I'll look into it. Just try not to worry, brother. I am stronger than I appear."

"And that's why I did not speak of this until now," he said. She nodded, and watched as Zhou crossed her room in a few strides, leaving her by herself and alone with her new concerns.

_Somewhere outside the capital_

Several heads raised as a dark, robed figure strode across the room. A few murmurs scattered , but the figure said nothing as he stopped outside of another door. Unlike before, the man raised a fist and knocked twice before opening it and entering. As soon as the door was shut, the others in the room bowed their heads again and quickly went back to their meditations.

The man stopped in front of a large desk. The bigger, more menacing figure behind it stood, casting a shadow over the other man. He grinned in spite of it, refusing to move. The giant turned to the window behind him, folding his hands behind his back.

"How was the mission today, Cheng?" he asked. Cheng smiled.

"As expected. Li has now reached her full potential, but has been somewhat hardened in her training. We must wait until she is married before we can proceed."

The other man chuckled. "Are you prepared for the second part of this mission, Cheng? Remember that they are no longer seven years old. They are full grown now, and both possess remarkable skill, according to yourself."

He nodded. "I was prepared when I first separated them. I have worked hard for this moment, and I hope that - no, I know, that this mission will succeed."

"For both our sakes, I hope you are right," the man said. Slowly, he turned around. "By the way, Cheng, you never did tell me what you desired as payment for undertaking this mission for me. Name it now, and it will be yours."

Cheng didn't need to think about his response. "Li Tai. Nothing more, nothing less."

The other man nodded. "Done."

* * *

Li Tai did her best to look cheerful as Sun Jian's entourage rode up to the gates. The streets were filled with people cheering and welcoming him home. When they reached the courtyard, Sun Ce, Sun Quan, and Sun Shang Xiang all went to greet their father. Li stayed behind, positioned between her brother and Lu Meng. Although she knew she was protected between them, she felt weak and helpless for some reason. Her brother's concerns still lingered in her mind. Was there really a cause for concern? She hoped not. Yet, deep inside her mind, she knew his fears weren't unfounded. And she hated feeling incapable.

Sun Jian made his way up the stairs to the palace doors, where his officers were waiting for him. He stopped in front of each one, either shaking his hand or grasping his shoulder. He stopped finally at Li Tai, who gave him a bow. He gently touched her shoulder.

"I trust that you have done well without me, Lady Tai," he said, smiling.

"As well as I can do, My Lord," she responded. He let out a small laugh.

"That's good to here. Sun Shang told me that you have done well with your training. I am pleased to hear it." She smiled and bowed as he moved on. Lu Meng gently nudged her arm, and she looked up to see him winking at her. She gave him a smile as Sun Jian finished with the line, and everyone headed back inside to the feast prepared for them. Lu Meng offered Li an arm, which she gladly took, and they followed the others inside.

Hua Ling watched from her corner as the royal family and the other officers filed into the dining hall. She glanced at herself in the mirror to make sure her makeup was in place. Thank the gods that her duties allowed her access to Li Tai's makeup without her knowing. She adjusted herself slightly, then waited for the other servants to file in and help with the feast. She hoped that she was subtle enough to draw the younger women's attention without the older servants noticing first. She could count on them to spread stories, right on up the ladder to the men Li Tai was seated with. It had taken almost a whole year before she had finished her planning and had worked up the nerve to get this plan in motion. But now was the time. And she hoped that all her planning would pay off.


	7. The Deepest Hatred

"Oh my gosh, Hua, what happened to you?"

Hua Ling pretended to be surprised as one of the newest servants stared at her. Slowly, a few more came over and gave her the same puppy dog look. It was pathetic. It made Hua want to smile.

"What . . . what do you mean?" she asked innocently.

The first to notice gently touched Hua's face. "Who abused you up in this manner?" The others began to nod, wondering the same thing. Hua turned and looked in the mirror behind her.

The bruises and cuts on her face and neck were expertly drawn. Years of practice had taught Hua how to blend colors and add just enough detail to make the paints seem real. So her father's artistic skills and boring lessons had paid off after all. And here she had thought he would amount to nothing. But even her father was now helping carry out her plans. Excellent.

"Oh, it's nothing ladies," she said with a weak tone. "Just don't worry about me. I'll be fine."

"This is not fine!" one of the girls said, raising her voice just enough to draw the attention of nearby servants. "No one should treat you in this manner." The others began to flock over, carefully touching the painted bruises and asking her who the culprit was. Hua kept her best innocent face through the whole ordeal. Now there was only one thing left to do. She just hoped someone would be stupid enough to do it.

"Hua, you must tell us who did this! You deserve revenge!" You could always count on the new ones to raise their voices loud enough for the royal family to hear. Hua could see over the servants' shoulders as Sun Jian looked towards the group, causing a ripple effect as the room quieted and everyone looked in their direction. Sun Jian slowly got to his feet, the usual scowl plastered on his face.

"What's going on over here?" he asked, even his voice bearing the presence of annoyance. The servants all looked at each other, not sure where to begin. "Come now; tell me the meaning of this interruption."

There was a moment of dead silence before one of the older women slowly took Hua Ling's arm and helped her to the front of the group. She gave a slight bow and rose, but kept her head low. "My Lord, something terrible has happened to Hua Ling here. She has been abused most foully by some unknown culprit, as the marks on her body show. Lord Sun Jian, she has been one of your most loyal and faithful servants all these years, and we all agree that she at least deserves some kind of revenge for this ill deed."

Perfect.

Sun Jian took a step off the platform where he and his family were seated. With his hands behind his straight back, he looked Hua over from a distance. Then he slowly raised one hand and motioned for her to come forward. With a bit of a limp, Hua walked forward and dropped to her knees as she reached him. There was a slight gasp in the room from the servants, and a few of the officers slowly stood.

"Hua Ling, I want you to tell me, with all these people as witnesses, what happened." Sun Jian's voice echoed through the large room, but no one said a word or moved a muscle.

Hua took a deep breath. "Please, my Lord, I don't want any trouble. Not for you or anyone else here."

"There is nothing wrong with seeking justice, Hua Ling," he said, letting his voice soften slightly. "Please tell us what happened."

"She came at me like lightning across the sky. With one swift motion she pinned me against the wall, her hot breath burning on my face. I could feel her arms crushing my own, and my feet barely touched the floor. She drew her weapon and pressed it against my face. I could feel death coming for me. Then, she put it away. 'Death is too good for you,' she snarled at me. Without a seconds beat, she brought her fist across my face and dropped me. Within two more seconds her feet were in my stomach, like they were trying to kick the life out of me. With one final blow, she brought her elbow on top of my head, and everything went black. When I woke, I was still in the garden, just inside the palace walls. I quickly washed my face and made it back to my quarters in time to change my clothes and get back to work without anyone noticing."

If the silence was bad before, it was deafening now. Even the breathing sounds had stopped. The rest of the Sun family was on their feet with general concern on their faces. Zhou Yu was trying to study Hua's face, Lu Xun looked shocked, and many of the other officers weren't sure what to make of this situation. Gan Ning was the only one who showed now concern, passed out cold in his seat. At least he wasn't snoring. But even his wife wasn't paying attention to him.

Sun Jian bent over a little, and Hua looked up at him. "Hua, who did this unspeakable act?"

Hua's heart beat faster. This was finally it. She was going to expose her for the fink she was.

"Her." She pointed her finger with deadly accuracy at Li Tai. Several more gasps erupted as Li rose to her feet, shock and confusion written all over her face. And was that a touch of . . . hatred? Hua suppressed a smile. This was absolute gold.

"What?" Li Tai stammered, unsure of what to make of this. Sun Jian turned back to Hua.

"Surely you are mistaken. That is Lady Li Tai."

"I would know that face anywhere, my Lord. It was indeed she."

Zhou Tai and Lu Meng quickly rose to their feet, each putting a hand on Li's shoulders.

"I would trust Lady Tai with my life," Sun Jian said. Hua bowed her head again.

"Maybe you should be wary of new acquaintances, my Lord. They can be deceiving."

The crowd began murmuring as Sun Jian turned to look back at Li. She could feel Lu Meng's grip on her shoulder tighten. "My Lord, there is no proof of this, except her word. The word of a servant." The officers nodded to each other. He did have a point.

"She, too, used to be a servant, Lord Meng," Hua said from the floor. "You would trust her word. Yet you did not know her when she was of a lower class. She detested me, and did whatever she could to make my life miserable. She is not the woman you think you know. I need no proof."

Li Tai was afraid that Lu Meng was going to pop a vein. "But I need proof. She has told me of her life in servitude, trusted me with those secrets. I think I know her just as well as you do." He turned sharply to face Sun Jian. "I will get the proof of Li's innocence, my Lord. Just wait." He then turned again and marched out of the room, leaving everyone in stunned silence. Sun Jian gave Li a sad look after the doors had closed.

"Li, what do you have to say about this?"

Li was on the brink of tears, but she held them in like a true warrior. "Yes, I detested Hua Ling as a servant. She has a knack for telling lies and spreading rumors. I kept my distance as much as possible, to avoid her wicked tongue. But I never laid a hand on her. In fact, the only people I have hit were in the training yard. I am appalled that any of you would I think I am guilty of this."

Without another word, she turned and left through the same door as Lu Meng. Zhou Tai gave Sun Jian and Hua Ling a hard look before following after her. The rest of the room murmured and whispered to each other about what had just happened. Sun Jian looked back at his family, then at Hua, before addressing the crowd.

"One of you servants, please take Hua Ling back to her quarters and make sure her wounds are dressed and cared for. The rest of you continue with your meals. I will go and speak to Li in the morning, when everyone has a clear head and a good night's rest. There was a general nod as things slowly went back to normal. Sun Jian sat back down and stared at his plate. He could feel his family looking at him, but he did not return the glare. He let out a sigh before giving up on the food and leaving the room. This wasn't exactly how he had wanted to return home.


	8. A Brother's Love

It was as if the world itself was saddened for Li Tai. The night was interrupted by the constant claps of thunder, and within minutes the rain had taken hold and drenched the earth with its tears. 'Weep, dear Li. We weep for you,' the rains whispered. For Li Tai would not cry. As the rain fell, she leaned against the railing of her balcony, the wet winds touching her face while the roof over her kept the hard rains out. Her face was hardened, yet sad. She wanted desperately to weep, but the warrior within her refused to give in. Yet even then, she could not sleep. She saw Hua's innocent face accusing her in front of the court. But Li could see her smile as she brought about her downfall. It was sickening.

There was a knock at her door, but Li Tai made no attempt to open it or respond to it. Without turning, she heard the door open and close.

The sound of footsteps grew closer and closer until she could feel another body next to her own. She did not need to look to know who it was.

"Li, you must sleep. You are hurting yourself more by thinking about this."

She sighed. "I cannot help it. I knew that Hua Ling hated me, but I never imagined that she would do something like this. I did not think it possible of her."

"I have seen the impossible before," Zhou Tai said, a hint of sadness in his voice, "but even I did not think a servant could stoop any lower.

I have been silenced."

"When I worked with her, Hua always spoke of getting out of the capital," Li said softly. "She wanted to start a new life where no one knew her or anything of her previous life. She wanted to rise to the level of the gods themselves." Li faltered for a moment, then continued. "She always saw herself as superior, even among the servants. I can understand why she would detest me for rising above her, but her accusation was just horrendous."

"She may have convinced some, but none who count," Zhou Tai said. Li looked at him, and he gently wiped the rain off her cheek. "Sun Jian is not sure what to believe. The princess and the Qiao sisters believe nothing of what she said, and Sun Shang Xiang in particular has been quizzing the other officers to make sure no one else believes her either. I think she's scared Lu Xun away from her for a while."

Li Tai let out a small laugh. "And what of Lu Meng? Does he now hate me because of this?"

"I have not been able to talk to him," Zhou Tai said, seriousness in his voice. "He has been tearing the servant's quarters apart, trying to find anything that Hua might have used for her act. I have never seen him so focused on one thing before. It has...driven him mad."

_Lu Meng barely noticed the servants as he barged down the hall, nearly blinded by his fury. Many were forced to dive out of his way to avoid him. Fully dressed in his armor from his shoulders down, he could easily crush the life out of anyone who stood in his way. But he ignored them as he turned down a corner towards Hua Ling's quarters. His rage was indescribable. How dare someone of lower class to this to one of his friends. Especially to Li. He hoped Hua didn't come within ten paces of him, because there would be nothing to stop him from wringing her neck on the spot._

"Why?" Li Tai was now stunned. "I can make my case to Sun Jian on my own. There is no reason for him to get involved. I don't want to drag the innocent into this fight."

"Lu Meng has an unmatched hunger for justice. Although he will always choose peace over war, his sense of duty to Lord Sun Jian will always overcome his emotions. But he is also very loyal to his friends. He takes it very personally when something like this happens."

"I just don't understand, Zhou. I may be a friend, but I would never ask him to prove my innocence. What if one day I am guilty? Then I would bring him down with me, something I would never ask upon anyone."

_He finally reached Hua's room. Luckily, there was no one inside of it. There were several palettes on the floor, each made up and cleaned. Opposite them were several trunks that no doubt held clothes, and a mirror hung above a wash basin. The typical servant's room. Which meant that there was no way to tell which one was Hua's trunk. But he would have to start somewhere. So he walked over to the trunk closest to the door and opened it..._

Zhou Tai gave his sister a sad look. "Oh, Li. Can you not see it?"

"See what?" Li looked at him, alarmed. He reached up and tore off his helmet, dropping it to the floor with a loud clang. His dark hair fell around his face, but nothing could hide those dark and penetrating eyes.

"Li, he loves you."

_With unmatched fury, Lu Meng threw open the last trunk. If there was nothing in here, he would have to go find the wench and get the truth out of her himself. The others had held only clothes and small gifts from family members. If he found the same in here...no, he didn't want to think about it. He grabbed the robes and other clothing items from the top and tossed them over his shoulder. But there was something else in this trunk, at the bottom. He could feel it. Quickly, he grabbed the last garments and threw them out of the trunk._

_A slow smile spread across his face. He carefully pulled out several clay jars that were beautifully made and decorated. Even in the poor light, he could make out Li Tai's name painted on the sides of the containers. He opened one, revealing a deep blue powder that was almost half gone. The others held similar powders of different blue and purple shades. The last one held a white powder, often used to make the face look pale. Only members of the court were allowed to use these. Servants were not allowed paints and powders for their faces unless Lord Sun Jian demanded it for a celebration or similar event._

_Lu Meng closed the containers and looked at his hands. The blues and purples had mixed on his skin, giving his hands a bruised and sickly look. Eyes wide with realization, he slammed the top of the trunk down, grabbed the containers, and marched out of the room. The servants that had crowded in the doorway scattered, all except for one. But he was not a servant. Lu Meng smiled again as Zhou Yu's eyes went from Meng's hands to his face._

"_I shall call Sun Jian and Lady Tai immediately," Zhou Yu said. Lu Meng nodded as the strategist headed down the hall. He turned without a word and headed of in the other direction._

Li Tai stood quickly, staring at her brother as if he had condemned her to some terrible ordeal. "What did you say?"

Zhou Tai stood and grabbed her shoulders so she could not get away. "You heard me, Li. He told me with his own lips. In fact, he wanted to declare his intentions to you after the meal. That's why I came to you this morning and asked you about marriage."

He released her, and she slowly sunk to the ground, tears beginning to well up in her eyes. "How? How can this be? Zhou, I have nothing to offer anyone. Especially not Meng."

Zhou knelt next to his sister on the hard ground. "Is your own love not enough to offer, Li?" She looked up at him, fighting back tears. "I have seen the way you two look at each other, as if there is no one else around you. You may not notice it, but I have."

"But...why me?" Li began to tremble from the cold and the sudden flood of emotions. Zhou Tai look her hands and gently pulled her up.

Putting his arm around her shoulders, he helped her back into her room and seated her on the bed. Sitting beside her, he pulled her head close to him and let it rest on his shoulder.

"Li, it is okay to cry. Even the strongest of warriors cry sometimes." At his words, she let the tears fall, but refused to make a sound. Zhou sighed deeply. It was a start. "Just listen to me for a moment, Li, and I will tell you why. Lu Meng was born into a good family and a good life. He was always surrounded by people who loved and cared for him. As a result, he has always felt the need to reach out to those less privileged then he was. He has always been a kind a caring person to all, with a good sense of humor, I might add. In fact, when Sun Quan brought me back to the capital to serve him, there were many who did not trust me simply because I had been a pirate. But Meng quickly accepted and befriended me, and in time everyone followed his example.

"However, as I already told you, Lu Meng has this impenetrable sense of honor and duty. It took precedence over everything else. His friends and I worried that his dutifulness would be the death of him, much in the same way as Zhou Yu will eventually work himself to death. We thought the best way for him to calm down would be to settle down. There were many women in the kingdom who would gladly take him as a husband. But he refused them all. He told me once that he wanted a woman who was strong in mind and body, who shared a deep sense of loyalty and honor, and who respected others and treated them with that respect.

"Then you came along, Li. I know in my heart and have seen with my eyes that you possess all those qualities that Lu Meng holds dear. It is for these reasons that he truly fell in love with you. Not to mention the grace and beauty that comes with this great and wonderful gift."

Li stopped crying and looked her brother deep in the eyes. A smile slowly spread across her wet and disheveled face. "If anyone had said something more beautiful to me before, let the gods strike me down now," Li said in a hoarse voice. She pulled him into a warm embrace, which he returned. Brother and sister had finally seen each other in a way that no one else could, and had reached a love that no one else could break. And it was by the grace of the gods that Li finally felt her world being put back together.

Another knock came at the door, and it opened to reveal the pale features of Zhou Yu. "Ah, I had hoped I would find you both here." He turned to Li. "Lady Tai, I believe your friend Lu Meng has found the proof he promised. He and Lord Sun Jian are waiting for you in the meeting hall. So if you would follow me, we can get this whole ordeal over with."

Li wiped away the tears and nodded, slowly getting up with help from her brother. As they left the room and headed down the corridor, Li could feel the stares of the other servants upon her. But with the strong hands of Zhou Tai around her, and Zhou Yu leading them to a newfound hope, she knew that their suspicions didn't matter. This whole mess would soon be cleared up. And as if to share in her joy, the sun began to rise and dry the land.


	9. Call To Action

Li Tai could feel the emotions flaring before Zhou Yu even opened the door. Hua Ling was in a heap on the floor, crying at the feet of Sun Jian. Li couldn't imagine what he had said or done to her, but there was no mistaking the real tears falling down her enemy's face. The rest of the Sun family was also present, their faces grim. Lu Meng was standing next to a table, with several clay jars on top of it. His hard expression softened slightly when Li and her brother, Zhou Tai, entered the room. Li looked from his face to the jars on the table.

"Hey, those are mine!" she exclaimed with surprise, hurrying over to the table. She looked up at Lu Meng. "Where did you find these?"

He pointed a finger angrily at Hua Ling. "In her room. And I have a hunch that she used them as a part of her guise."

Hua looked up. "That's preposterous. Do you think I would fake something like this?" Within seconds, Lu Meng had crossed the room and stood in front of Hua, opposite Sun Jian. Grabbing her chin, rather rudely, he forced her to her feet. He took his thumb and, after wetting it with his tongue, wiped it across a massive bruise on her right cheek. The bruise smeared and left a long streak on Hua's face, while the rest of the dye on Meng's finger.

"Yes, I think you would." With that, he released Hua's chin and walked back over to the table. Li's face went from confusion to shock, Zhou Tai's remained stoic under his mass of dark hair, and the Sun children all wore expressions of surprise. Sun Jian's eyes went wide with a mix of rage and confusion.

"Hua Ling, why in the name of the gods would you attempt this treason!" When he got no response from her, he took a step forward, the ground shaking with his anger. "Answer me!"

Hua collapsed on the ground again, and Li Tai took a step forward. "My lord, may I try?" Sun Jian took a deep breath, trying to calm himself ,and without a word took a few steps back. Li nodded and slowly walked towards the weeping Hua Ling, stopping a few paces away from her. "Hua, why would you do such a thing?"

She looked up from the floor with a look of pure loathing. "What's it to you?" she spat. Li kept her ground.

"I want to know what I did to make you hate me so."

Hua slowly stood, wiping the tears away and smearing her makeup even more. The look in her eyes had changed from fear to hate. "You, of all people, want to know why? Heh. I told you that I deserved more than what I was given. You heard every story that I told about my dreams of escape. When I asked you what you wanted, all you said was that you were happy with what you had. I let that go. But then you, you lousy excuse for a servant, find long lost family in high places and rise above me over night! How can you take what should have been mine!"

Raising a hand, Hua Ling brought it hard across Li's face. Li quickly held up a hand as the sound of weapons being drawn echoed in the room. She turned back to face Hua. "Destiny chose these paths for us, Hua. We have no control over it. Maybe you were born for bigger and better things. We may never know." She backed away slowly until she stood right in front of Lu Meng. "I just want you to know that I don't hate you, Hua, despite what I said during the meal. I pity you. You will never see beyond what your limited sight shows you. That will hurt you more than your jealousy."

The room was silent again, and Li Tai felt Lu Meng put a hand on her shoulder. His touch was comforting. After a moment, Sun Jian stepped forward again. "Well, Hua Ling, I was originally going to sentence you to death." He turned and looked at Li for a moment, then returned his gaze to Hua. "But I think Lady Tai may oppose to that decision. Therefore, I banish you from the Kingdom of Wu. Perhaps you will find your 'destiny' with another alliance. But we of Wu will have no part in it." As soon as he finished, two guards came and took Hua by the arms, turned her around, and marched her out of sight.

The tension in the room began to lift as everyone let out a sigh of relief. Sun Jian walked over to Li and gave her a slight bow. "My lady, I am so sorry that I ever doubted you."

Li smiled. "Please don't bow to me, Lord Sun Jian. I can understand why Hua Ling despised me so. I am just sad that it had to end in this way."

"Well spoken, Lady Tai. Well spoken." Sun Jian nodded and left the room, with his two sons following close behind. Lady Sun got up to leave as well, but stopped and gave Li a hug before hurrying out after them. Finally, Zhou Yu also made his leave, giving Li a wink before shutting the door behind him.

Li Tai turned around to face Lu Meng, giving him a smile. "I owe you everything," she said softly. "If you had not found my jars, I may have been under suspicion for a long time. I thank you."

Lu Meng nodded. "I knew you were innocent. But I also knew that Lord Sun Jian is a man that must see things to believe in them. That's why I wanted so badly to prove your innocence." Li's smile grew as she moved forward and hugged him. Slowly, Lu Meng put his arms around her and embraced her back, not sure if this was real or not. Neither of them noticed as Zhou Tai quietly sat down, watching the whole scenario with a grin.

After a moment, Meng let go. "Li, I...uh...I wanted to ask you something earlier...but...well...I" She smiled again as he stammered, trying to find the right words.

"My brother told me, Meng. And I accept." Before he could say a word, she grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him into a tender kiss, shocking even Zhou Tai. Lu Meng faltered a moment before returning it warmly. Zhou Tai let out a whoop of joy as the couple broke apart, grinning from ear to ear. Li was glad for a moment that everyone else had left, for she was blushing redder than her brother's cape.

_One Week Later_

"So that's the plan then?" Then man who asked had his face hidden in the shadows, his voice dark and icy.

"That's it," another man responded. "I thought you might like it."

The shadow man thought for a moment. "I like the sound of it. But what are your motives? It doesn't sound like you get very much with this bargain."

There was a laugh as Cheng leaned forward. "I'll have my prize from this war, my Lord. Don't worry about a thing. All you have to do is follow our lead, and you're as good as gold."

A pause followed. "Very well," the man said. "Have your men sent over tomorrow, and we can work out the details. I must say though, young man, I'm very impressed with this."

Cheng stood and bowed. "Your words fill me with pride, my Lord. Our envoys will be over after sunrise." With that, he turned and left the room. One of his friends was outside the door waiting for him. Handing him a cloak, he followed Cheng outside where their horses were waiting. He waited until they had left the camp sight before speaking.

"So, did he like the plan, Cheng?"

"He loved it, Mao," he responded. "And if everything goes according to the plan, Wu will fall, Zhou Tai will finally die, and I will walk away with the spoils of war."

"Speaking of which, I received some news while you were planning. It seems that Li Tai is finally engaged to a Wu officer, like you wanted."

Cheng thought a moment. "Who's the lucky man?" he asked.

"Lu Meng"

"Ahh, I had hoped it would be him. Now I cannot wait to sever his head from his body with my own sword."

Mao grinned in the darkness. "You can only have Li Tai if you share her with us, like you promised."

"Of course. I always keep my promises to my dearest friends, Mao. But I still get her first."

"Deal." The two friends laughed as they headed deeper into the darkness. Back at the castle, the shadow man rose from his throne and headed towards his own bed chambers. He was met by another as he wandered down the hall.

"I trust everything went well, my Lord?" The man moved his feather fan at his side, beckoning his master down another corridor.

"Yes, and I must say, I'm impressed with the boy's courage, coming with only one other man. We must hammer out a few details and flaws, but I think he had finally given us the opportunity to crush Wu."

The other man grinned. "Will you try and get him to join us?"

"Perhaps. I must test the boy though. I don't know what his motives are, and that is the only thing that worries me. But he seemed generally helpful. I think we can do much with him."

And in the growing darkness, Cao Cao and Sima Yi walked through the palace, their hopes of reuniting China under Wei now coming closer and closer.


	10. Preparations

The story of Hua Ling's banishment spread like wildfire throughout the kingdom. Li heard many different versions of how she had been banished from Wu, some still making Li herself out to be the bad guy in the situation. But none of the stories even came close. Only those who had been present at the time knew what had really happened, and they refused to speak of it to anyone else. In fact, those had in been there seemed to be treating Li Tai differently, almost like they were still trying to apologize for every doubting her innocence. Li continuously told them that she forgave them, even though there was really nothing to forgive. But Sun Jian in particular seemed to treat her with more dignity and respect and humility than before.

But Li could not bother herself with things like that now. Despite the rumors rapidly spreading throughout the capital, the mood was extremely happy and excited. Word of Li Tai and Lu Meng's engagement spread just as fast, and neither of them could go anywhere without someone giving their blessings and congratulations. It seemed like everyone was happy for the new couple.

Even Lady Sun was beside herself with joy that her friend was getting married. Everywhere Li went to make preparations for the wedding, Sun Shang Xiang would follow. Sometimes the Qiao sisters would also join, but for the most part, it was just the two of them.

"I don't think I can't wait much longer for this!" Lady Sun exclaimed one day. The two had been shopping down in the market for cloth for Li's dress, and the woman at the booth was busy trying to find a special bolt of cloth that she swore she'd misplaced.

"Well, you'll have to," Li answered, grinning. "I don't know why you're the anxious one. Weren't you complaining about marriage and such on the first day we met?"

Lady Sun laughed. "Oh my, you're right. But remember, I was complaining about my getting married. No you. I am just so happy for you, Li! After this whole thing with Hua Ling, we all need something to look forward to."

At the mention of Hua's name, Li's face dropped a bit, but it perked up as the woman returned with a bolt of fire red cloth. She handed it to Li and hurried over to help another customer. "Wow, I understand now why she saved this," Li said breathlessly. "It's absolutely beautiful."

"And so well made," Sun Shang commented, running her hands over the red silk. Taking a corner, she held it up to Li's face and pretended to study her carefully. Li Tai laughed. "I declare this fabric to be the one for you. No question." Hearing this, the saleswoman hurried over to the girls. Despite her offers for a discount, the girls insisted on paying the full price for the fabric, as it was very well made, in perfect condition, and she had apparently been saving it for a royal wedding.

Li paid the woman, and she bowed low to the two of them, her eyes beginning to water. "You are both true Ladies of Wu. I thank you very much, and I pray that you both live long and happy lives." They thanked her, and with their purchases under their arms, made their way back up to the palace.

"I don't understand why she got so emotional," Sun Shang said after they left. "It was only fair to give her the full price."

"She is probably very poor with a family to provide for," Li answered. "And as members of Sun Jian's court, we can demand things like this from her without paying for them. It is one thing to be feared by your people. It is another thing to be respected by them, and yet another to be loved by them."

"Why were you not a member of our court earlier?" Lady Sun asked, getting a laugh out of her friend as they came to the end of the dirt road, finally reaching the palace.

* * *

Water. That's all Hua Ling wanted was water. She had been wandering around for several days without food or water, and soon she was going to drop dead from exhaustion as well as hunger and thirst. She silently cursed Sun Jian and the kingdom of Wu. But mostly she cursed Li Tai. Hua knew that her intention was not to let her enemy die out here in the middle of nowhere. But right now, she wished that Li Tai had sentenced her to death. It would have been quicker than this painfully slow death that was now eating her from the inside.

By the time the sun had fallen from the sky, Hua was no closer to anything than she had been earlier. Still, she stumbled on. She was not going to go without a fight. And if she made it, her first task would be to wrap her hands around Li's neck and slowly choke the life out of her. A slow death would only be fitting for the woman who was slowly killing her now.

Exhaustion overcame her, and Hua Ling dropped to the ground. She struggled to keep conscious, but things around her were moving and becoming blurry. All she wanted to do was sleep. Sleep forever. Slowly, she felt herself hit the ground and the world around her become black.

Hua opened here eyes slowly some time later. It completely dark outside, save for a small light nearby. Slowly, she turned her head to see a small fire close by. Two men were sitting on either side of it, talking in hushed voices. They frequently looked in Hua's direction and gestured towards her, but did not move from their spots. They must have water, or food, or something, Hua told herself. Mustering all the strength she had left, she lifted herself up into a sitting position. One of the men looked over and pointed in her direction. The other nodded and walked over to Hua. In his hands was a bowl of water, which he handed to her.

"What is a woman like you doing all the way out here?" he asked. He had a very stern voice, and the weak light showed the hardened features of a young man. Hua could make out very sharp features and deep eyes, and a mass of hair fell down his back and over his shoulders. Hua simply stared at him as she drained the bowl.

"Fine. No answers." The man rose and walked back over to his friend. When his back was turned, the friend motioned to Hua to come over, waving a plate around. Slowly, she got to her feet and made her way over to the fire. The man who had given her the water pretended not to notice her, but the other immediately filled a plate with food from the fire and handed it to Hua. She took it gratefully and inhaled the food.

The man smiled. "I'm Mao. You must excuse my friend, Cheng, over there." He pointed a little ways away, where Cheng was setting up a tent of some kind. He grunted at Mao and continued about his work. "We are returning from a very important mission, and he thinks that by being grumpy his focus will remain." Hua nodded and continued to eat, saying nothing. "So, what are you doing all the way out here in the middle of nowhere?"

"Long story," Hua whispered. "I was banished from Wu. I'm searching…..for…..something….." She trailed off, unsure of what to say to this man. He took off his cloak and put it around her shivering frame.

"May I ask why you were banished?"

Hua shivered despite the warmth. "Tried to get revenge…….it backfired…….Sun Jian released me to wander………must find a place to go……"

Mao nodded. "Revenge is a very fickle thing. I am sorry that it did not work out for you." She nodded and put her empty plate on the floor. "By the way, what is your name?" Mao asked.

"Hua Ling," she said stoically. "People call me Hua……just Hua…."

Cheng came over and took a seat on Mao's other side. "The tent is set up. What are we going to do with her?"

"I don't know. But she is really weak. Perhaps we could let her sleep in our tent. Just for tonight." Mao leaned in to whisper to Hua could not hear them. "We can leave in the morning before she rises. We'll be gone before she can remember we were here."

"Fine. But unless she proves useful, she does not return with us." Mao nodded and Cheng got up and went back to the tent.

Hua shivered again as she looked at Mao. "I can stay? One night?"

"Yes. It'll be warmer for you, anyway." Mao walked over to Hua and helped her to her feet. Slowly, they made their way over to the tent and got inside. Cheng had already lay down, and Mao gently lay Hua down in the center of the tent. As soon as he put a blanket over her, she fell into a deep sleep. Glad that she was already passed out, he lay down on the other side of her and threw the blankets over his own head. As he began to drift into sleep, Hua mumbled something in her own dreams. Annoyed, he stuck his head under his pillow and tried to shut out her mumbling.

"Li……Li, you will pay…….I will kill you for this……."

Mao shot up from under his blankets and leaned towards Hua. Across from him, Cheng had done the same thing, similar expressions of shock on their face. Slowly, they moved closer to try and hear more of what she was mumbling.

"Li……..how could you take that from me………this is your fault………I will kill you……."

"Do you think she's talking about the same woman?" Mao asked. Cheng nodded.

"It's possible. Keep listening."

The two men watched intently, waiting for Hua Ling to spill this woman's whole name. Perhaps she would be useful after all.

"Li Tai, I will make you pay……..you and your brother and you lover……….**_all of Wu shall pay!_**"


	11. Wedding Bells

It was a very nervous Li Tai who sat in front of her window that night. The sky was clear and the moon shone brighter than she ever had before. The light poured in through the open window and onto the floor. From behind her, Li Tai looked like the moon goddess herself, a rim of light around her pale features. Her red dress seemed on fire from both the moon and the many candles lit all around her. Despite the very calming and serene atmosphere, however, Li Tai wrung her hands under her dress in an effort to keep the others from noticing. Although she was a warrior at heart, Li found herself acting more like a little school girl. A smile crept up on her, quickly disappearing as the door behind her opened.

Lady Sun came in with a handful of Li's servants, also very richly dressed in red. In Shang Xiang's hands was a beautiful comb of ivory. Although it was old and worn, Li knew it held a wealth of memories and history in itself. And now she would be able to add her own story to it. Her story of hardships and trials, of betrayals and nightmares, of love and friendship. It was a great honor.

Two of the servants lit incense and placed the sticks on either side of Li Tai. The slight breeze coming through the window made the smoke curl and twist into different shapes and designs. Lady Sun made her way over to Li and sat behind her. "Well, shall we get this over with, Li?" She nodded to begin the ceremony. Lady Sun reached up and undid the tie that held up Li's hair. It tumbled all down her shoulders and pilled on the floor, the curtain of black almost completely covering Li. Taking the comb, Lady Sun began to run it through her best friend's shiny hair.

"I comb your hair once. From beginning to end may your life be filled with happiness." Gently, Sun Shang Xiang ran the comb through Li's black hair. After a few minutes it was complete. Li bowed from her sitting position and said a silent prayer to her ancestors for happiness. Behind her, Lady Sun had taken the comb once again.

"I comb your hair twice. May you live in harmony from now until old age." She repeated the combing, once again running it through Li's long hair. As she finished, Li bowed once again and prayed to her ancestors for harmony until she was old.

"I comb your hair thrice. May you be surrounded by many children and grandchildren." Again, Sun Shang Xiang repeated the combing with Li bowing at the end to pray to the ancestors.

"I comb your hair for the final time. May you be blessed with wealth and a long lasting marriage." As Lady Sun finished combing her hair for the final time and Li had finished bowing, the two women got up and the servants left. Li saw that her best friend was also having trouble keeping her emotions in check. Shang Xiang smiled and embraced her friend. No words needed to be said. Each one knew what the other was thinking. Tonight was a very exciting night for both of them. Finally, Lady Sun bid her friend goodnight and left the room. As Li blew out all of the candles, she said another prayer for each of her friends and family, asking the gods to bless them for her sake. As she crawled into bed, Li could not help but smile. For tonight was the last night that she would have to sleep alone.

As soon as the first light touched the land of Wu the commotion began. Li awoke with her heart beating faster than ever before. The excitement, she decided, was going to drive her absolutely insane. As soon as the sun finished his assent to the top of the sky, the ceremony would begin. Everything that Li Tai had been doing for the past few months had finally led to this moment. Soon, her place in the Sun family court would be cemented. Soon her memories of the past would slip back into the deepest depths of her mind. Soon, everything would change.

She had not even put on her robe yet when an overly excited Sun Shang Xiang burst into the room, spinning around in circles. Behind her, Xiao Qiao was jumping up and down, giggling furiously. Da Qiao followed them into the room silently, but the smile on her face was unmistakable. Li grinned as Lady Sun ran over to her and crushed her friend in an embrace.

"I can't believe this day is finally here!" the princess cried. Da Qiao took a seat on Li's unmade bed while her sister shut the door and hurried to Li's other side. "The whole kingdom is going to be there, Li!"

Xiao giggled again. "I know. Even mine and my sister's weddings didn't turn out a crowd like this! Oh, Li! This is going to be the best day ever!"

Da got up and positioned herself in front of Li. "You are going to make a beautiful bride, Li. Lu Meng is a very lucky man."

"I know. It took him long enough to find himself a woman. But I got to admit, he made the best choice." Li Tai elbowed Sun Shang Xiang in the stomach, and the princess responded by sticking out her tongue. Then she turned around and walked over to Li's wardrobe and opened it. "Well, I guess we should start getting you ready. Chinese custom would normally have your husband's family coming to receive you at your house. But since we are all one big happy family and live in the same house, a procession will come here to get you in a few hours. Since Lu Meng does not have any family here in the court, save for a few cousins, most of the procession will be his friends and members of my family."

Li nodded and joined Lady Sun in front of the wardrobe. "Will Zhou Tai be at the main door as well?"

"He will not be a part of the procession, but when we get to the doors of the Great Hall, he will join us." Sun Shang Xiang reached up into the wardrobe and pulled out the only garment inside of it. The seamstress had somehow managed to create a masterpiece with the beautiful fabric that the girls had bought in the marketplace. It was styled in the latest fashion, with long flowing sleeves, a long train, a high collar. The swirled designs on the dress looked like fire curling and twisting among the threads, making Li Tai look like the fire goddess herself. The best part was, no one had seen her with the dress on except the seamstress. This would be the first time that any of the girls would see it on her.

Li Tai and the girls moved into an adjoining room, where a bath had been drawn. The girls helped Li get into the tub and wash herself with perfumed water and many different scented oils. After she got out, she dried herself and slipped into her undergarments. Da Qiao had washed and dried her long hair and was busy combing the knots out. Sun Shang Xiang was helping Li with her makeup and her jewelry. Xiao Qiao kept herself busy by getting whatever the other two girls needed, bounding back and forth across the room until she was out of breath.

The dress was the last thing she put on. As Da Qiao helped her fasten her sash around her waist, Li caught a glimpse of herself in the long mirror. She had to look twice to make sure it was indeed her. The mass of hair that was normally flapping around in the wind was now shiny and smooth, done up in an elegant pile atop her head. A single comb was fastened in place to keep the hair up, a gift from Sun Shang Xiang herself. Her face was pale as the moon, powdered to perfection. Deep blue shadow covered her eyelids, and there was a hint of red in her cheeks and lips. A single chain was wrapped around her neck, an addition thanks to the Qiao sisters. The dress fit her perfectly, showing every curve of her body and making her movements glide as if on air. Li Tai did not recognize the woman in the mirror. Yet, she knew her. The woman on the other side of the glass smiled, and somehow it made Li smile back.

"As I said, you make a beautiful bride, Lady Tai." Da Qiao's smiling face appeared next to the woman in the mirror. Soon they were joined by Xiao Qiao and Lady Sun. All four women had tears in their eyes. It was indeed a magical moment for all of the women in the house. Underneath her sleeves, Li Tai twisted her rings around her fingers, the only gifts that could not be seen in the reflection. The one on her left hand was simple, a sliver ring with a blood red stone in the center of it with a small band. On the inside of the band was the initials "ZT LT". Zhou Tai and Li Tai. It had been given to her by her brother the day before, without any exchange of words. But none needed to be said. Li had accepted the gift before he had bowed to her and disappeared into the shadows once more.

The other she twisted around the fourth finger of her right hand. A much more intricate design wrapped around her finger. In the center was a red stone flanked by purple gems on either side. Symbols of royalty. The band was a woven pattern that laced together under the stones in the center. The gift had been presented by a messenger boy, but Li knew who had really sent it. The thought brought a smile to her face even now. She couldn't wait to see him today.

There was a loud knock at the door, and Li opened it to see a smiling Lu Xun, richly dressed for the day's events. He bowed low to her, offering her a hand. "My lady, it is time. Would you do me the honor of escorting you to your destination?"

Li bowed in return and took his hand. "I would be honored," she answered. He grinned and led her outside into the hallway. Outside, many people were gathered. Some were officers and good friends of Lu Meng. Li recognized some of his cousins also among the crowd. There were also servants there, holding drapes and various noisemakers for the procession down to the Great Hall. Li remembered some of them from when she had been a servant, and she greeted them all with a smile and a bow.

Once the other girls had left the room and shut the door behind them, the procession began. Lu Xun walked Li Tai down the long hallway while all around her the servants and officers were making a scene, banging instruments together and generally making as much noise as possible. Lady Sun walked on Li's other side while the Qiao sisters walked behind her, carrying the edge of her robe. Li did her best not to cry, for the moment was becoming more and more emotional by the second. Lu Xun patted her hand reassuringly, and Li took in a deep breath and tried to remain calm.

She almost lost it completely when the reached the doors to the Great Hall. Standing outside was Zhou Tai, his normally menacing figure trying desperately to remain in control. As it was a formal occasion, he wore his best armor, the light from the sun making it burn like fire. Nest to Li Tai, the two of them looked ready to burst into flames at any moment. He had also decided to forego the helmet, letting his long hair flow freely down his back. He grinned as his sister made her way towards him, trying hard not to cry.

Lu Xun bowed to Zhou Tai and offered her Li's hand. He took it in his own, eyeing the ring that Lu Meng had given his sister. He gave an approving nod when he saw it, and Li let her other hand rest on top of his for a moment to show off his own gift. His grin broadened at this, and raising his arm, knocked loudly on the large doors.

There was a collective gasp as the procession entered the room. All eyes were on the bride and her brother as they made their way down the long walkway to the alter set up opposite them. The procession had stopped making noises in favor of a calm and collected walk down the aisle. The whole room seemed to light up as the large group grabbed everyone's attention. But no one shone more brightly than Lady Tai. With her red dress and glittering jewelry, she was easily the brightest gem in the room.

When they reached the alter, the procession dispersed into the crowd. The Qiao sisters when to join their husbands near the front of the room, while Lady Sun went to join her father and brothers. Zhou Tai, however, remained next to his sister. On the other side of the alter was one of the priests from a nearby shrine. To his left stood Lu Meng, also richly dressed. He gave Li a wink as he made his way over to the other side of the alter and stood in front of Zhou and Li Tai. Without a word the two men bowed to each other, and Zhou took his sisters hand and offered it to Meng. Then he melted back into the crowd, taking his place opposite Lord Sun Jian.

Lu Meng led Li Tai to the alter and, after both had bowed to it, helped her sit on a cushion in front of it. The priest lit incense at either end of it, and after the smoke began to rise he also bowed and opened his arms to the crowd.

"My children, let us begin this joyful ceremony, the marriage of Lady Li Tai to Lord Lu Meng."


	12. Predators of Wei

It was pitch black when the rider approached the castle. As he reached the gate, he made a sign with his arms for the guards to open the gate. The two men above him disappeared, and moments later the gates swung wide to welcome the midnight visitor. The rider continued through the city until he had reached the castle itself. Dismounting, he handed the horse's reins to a waiting stable boy and made his way up the long flight of stairs. There was no one to greet him when he reached the top. But it didn't matter. Cheng knew where he was going.

He wandered down the winding hallways until he came to a large set of heavy wooden doors. Two large Chinese symbols were painted on the wood. Cao Cao. Cheng grinned to himself. Lord Cao Cao sure knew how to make his presence known around here. Raising a fist, Cheng knocked three times on the doors and waited.

A young man poked his head outside from behind the large doors and looked the visitor over. After a second, he opened the doors all the way and allowed Cheng to enter. He bowed as the mercenary walked by, and left the room promptly, shutting the doors behind him. Cheng did not look back as the doors slammed but continued into the large room. At the other end was a large desk where several different men were pouring over papers on the table. All looked up as Cheng made his way towards them. Most of the men bowed to him as he stopped just a few steps away from the table, but the two men who were seated remained. Cheng waited until the others had left before speaking.

"I am ready, my lord."

Cao Cao and Sima Yi offered the young man grins, and Cao Cao rose at Cheng's words. "I see. How was the wedding, Master Cheng? Did you enjoy yourself?"

"It was just a wedding, my lord. There was nothing special about it." Even as he said it, he could feel his emotions betraying his words. For he had just returned from the wedding of Li Tai and Lu Meng. While no one had noticed him as he watched from the shadows, he felt as if he had been in the heart of the ceremony. It pained him to watch his future bride marry another man. He had had to keep telling himself that soon this would not matter; soon Lu Meng would be but a memory and he would have Li for himself. So after the happy couple retired to bed, Cheng had made haste to come and report to Cao Cao.

Of course, Cao Cao was under the impression that he had attended the wedding of a sister. "I would think that seeing your sister wed would be a joy for you. Did something happen?"

Cheng shrugged. "I have more important matters on my mind. I gave my sister and her new husband my blessing and hastened to your side, my Lord."

"Good, good. I admire your loyalty to me." Cao Cao grinned again, then motioned to Sima Yi. The strategist moved to the other side of the table and handed Cheng a large piece of paper. "That is an enlarged map of the Wu and Wei borders. According to spies that we have in Sun Jian's kingdom, he is planning on checking his side of the borders sometime within the next month. Apparently, one of his best officers has been recently married, so he will not check our borders until after the required celebration time." Cheng felt his body stiffen at this remark, but remained stoic. "When we first discussed your getting revenge on Sun Jian, you had mentioned that you would like to lead the capture. I believe that this is the perfect opportunity. I want you to leave for Wu in two days with a handful of men. Sima Yi will fill you in on more details later. You will watch Sun Jian carefully until he plans to leave for this border check. You will then send a messenger to me telling me that he has left. Then I want you to follow him until the ambush. Do you understand?"

"Yes my Lord."

Cao Cao frowned a bit. "Are you prepared to do this? I know that you work for the best mercenary group in all of China, but I am under the impression that you have not undertaken a mission quite like this before."

_You know nothing, Lord Cao Cao_, Cheng said to himself. _I have been waiting to do this my whole life_. Instead, Cheng merely bowed low to the leader of Wei. "Yes, my Lord. I was prepared from the moment that I came to you with my tales of woe and revenge. I will do anything to prove my loyalty to you."

Cao Cao smiled and nodded to Cheng. "Very well, Master Cheng. You may take your leave. I will see you in the morning." Cheng bowed low again and made his way towards the door. As he opened it up, Sima Yi followed him from behind and closed the door after both men had exited the room.

"Well," Sima Yi said, motioning down another hallway, "now that we are out of hearing range, I must ask you a question. Did you feel your heart break when you saw your future bride give herself to another man?"

Cheng felt color rise to his face. Sima Yi always seemed to know what Cheng was really thinking, and it unnerved the mercenary. They had known each other before Sima Yi had signed on with Cao Cao, growing up in the same village. But despite their familiarities, they saw very little of each other and had little communication. So how Sima Yi knew about Li Tai was beyond him. However, Cheng would not give him satisfaction of seeing him lose control.

"Tell me, Sima Yi, has Cao Cao truly bored you to the point where you only get amusement out of hearing others gossip? It is most unbecoming of a great strategist like yourself."

"That bad, I am guessing." Sima Yi grinned as they turned down another hallway in this labyrinth of a castle. He put a hand on his friend's back. "I must admit, your coming and asking for revenge has been the most exciting thing that has happened around here in several months."

Cheng smirked. "Well I am glad I could provide you with some amusement."

"Alas, the life of a strategist is lonely and boring at times." He removed his hand from Cheng's back as they continued to walk. "Now, I am supposed to tell you the details of the plan. But I daresay that you don't need anyone telling you those. You will do what you want, for deep down, this mission is for yourself and not for Lord Cao Cao."

Cheng gave a fake expression of surprise. "And you figured that out all by yourself? I am so proud of you, my friend."

"I have had little else to keep my mind occupied. At any rate, you know the plan well, and you understand what you need to do at the right time. People don't give you mercenaries enough credit for your smarts. They only see the brawn; never the brains."

"I am glad that someone realizes our full potential." Cheng and Sima Yi let out a laugh that echoed down the empty hall as they disappeared into the night.

* * *

Zhou Tai leaned against the railing as the breeze cooled his face. The rest of the house was deep in slumber, but troubled dreams were preventing Zhou from joining the rest of them. Something inside of him was keeping him awake, something unsettling. Every time he shut his eyes, he saw an image of his sister, staring out a window. A man was there, but it was not Lu Meng. In fact, it was not anyone he had ever seen before. The man placed his hands on her shoulders and kissed her neck gently, causing tears to fall from Li's beautiful eyes. Then the image changed to a battlefield, littered with the bodies of men and women. Most of the soldiers were adorned in red. Among them Zhou saw the bodies of Sun Jian, his children, and many of his officers. Among them were Zhou Tai himself.

He could not understand why he kept seeing these images. Perhaps tomorrow he would speak to Lu Xun or Zhou Yu about them. They were very knowledgeable about dreams and their interpretations. But something inside told him that even the two great strategists would not be able to determine the meanings behind these dreams. They were just too troubling.

Footsteps from down the hall drew Zhou Tai's attention away from his thoughts. A large figure was walking towards him, yawning and stretching as it made its way down the hall. Zhou smiled to himself as Lu Meng gave him a tired look, his long hair tangled and askew. "Zhou Tai, what are you doing out here at this time of night? For once, be like everyone else here and sleep when its dark outside."

"Well, what are you doing up?"

Meng gave his friend a semi annoyed look. "I heard footsteps passing by my room, and I couldn't fall back asleep so I went to check them out. I found your door open and figured you had to be out here somewhere." He yawned again and rubbed his eyes. "So, tell me, what are you doing out here at this time of night, for real?"

"Can't sleep," he answered. "My dreams have been troubled lately."

"Again? Sheesh, do you ever have good dreams?"

Zhou Tai grinned. "Perhaps if I was married, I would have more pleasant dreams."

"Now that was uncalled for," Meng said, grinning at his friend. "I am going to head back. I don't want Li to get nervous if she wakes up and I'm not there." He frowned a Zhou Tai a moment. "But seriously, try and get some sleep. You won't do yourself any good if you don't try to rest." Zhou Tai nodded as he watched Lu Meng turn around and go back down the hall. With a heavy sign, he turned his attention back to the cooling breeze. Despite what his friend might say, nothing was going to shake the images that continued to swirl inside his head.


	13. Beginning of a Journey

Sun Jian sat pouring over maps, papers, and letters. The heat was beginning to give him a headache, which was the last thing he needed at this point. The kingdom had been in a state of ecstasy ever since the wedding of Lu Meng and Li Tai. But now he had to get back down to business. He needed to tend to the army, check on the neighboring cities, and commence border control. The Tiger of Jiang Dong let out a heavy sigh at that thought. He absolutely hated checking his borders with Shu and Wei. There was almost always an ambush of some kind, with the other lords complaining that they were trespassing on their land. But it was a necessary evil, and luckily one that didn't take very long.

He looked up when the door opened to see his oldest son, Sun Ce, and his friend, Zhou Yu, heading over to the table. "Got your message, Pop. When are you planning on leaving for patrol? Zhou Yu and I can round up a bunch of guys for ya whenever you need 'em."

"I think I'm just going to take a handful of men with me, son. I called you in because I want you to be in charge while I'm gone. Border checks should not take very long, but I want you here in case something happens. Can you do that for me?"

Sun Ce puffed out his chest a bit. "Sure thing, Pop. You can count on me." Zhou Yu coughed a bit but said nothing. As Sun Jian was about to go back over his maps, the door opened again. This time Huang Gai and Lu Meng entered, bowing before they reached their lord. Sun Jian nodded to them and pointed to a section on one of the maps in front of them.

"I am going to take you men on border patrol with me. We are going to leave in a few days, and we're only taking a handful of the soldiers with us. I have already sent Taishi Ci and Gan Ning to check the Wu and Shu borders. We shall be checking those with Wei. I will need each of you to select about fifty men from your ranks to accompany us. Tell them to be ready to leave within three days." Sun Jian let out another heavy sigh as he looked up at his officers. "I must admit that something about this is making me feel uneasy. Therefore, I want to get this done as quick as possible. I hope you all understand." The others in the room nodded and began to file out of the hot room.

Sun Ce fell into place beside Lu Meng as he headed down the hall. Slapping a hand onto the officer's back, he gave him one of those mischievous grins. "Meng, why so down?"

Lu Meng raised an eyebrow at the Little Conqueror. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh come on. I saw your face drop when my dad said you were going on border patrol." Zhou Yu rolled his eyes from the other side of Sun Ce. Lu Meng frowned.

"Yes, my face may have dropped. Do you know why?" Sun Ce opened his mouth to say something but was cut off. "Because I hate border checks. Do you remember the last time I went on one, what happened then?"

Zhou Yu sighed at that. "I remember. We were checking Shu borders when we were ambushed. We thought Liu Bei had sent men to attack us, so we killed the attackers. As it turned out, it was just a farmer and his family who wanted us off of their land. What a mess that was."

There was silence for a few moments, then Sun Ce threw his hands into the air. "You know, I was trying to make this conversation lighthearted and fun for me, and you guys just ruined it." The pout on his face made Zhou Yu laugh.

"I am sure Lu Meng will miss his wife while he his gone and she will miss him as well." Sun Ce continued to pout until his best friend began to steer him down the hallway that led outside the palace. "I have an idea that will cheer you up. Why don't we go watch the girls practice in the training yard? Seeing Da Qiao fight always brings a smile to your face." Sun Ce just shrugged his shoulders, but Zhou Yu and Lu Meng exchanged playful grins, and taking his arms, marched him outside into the warm sun.

* * *

Li Tai was in a very uncomfortable position. The sun was bright today, making it hard to see her opponent. It didn't help that all the other soldiers were now gathered around them, causing the sun to reflect off of their armor and into her eyes. In fact, that was the reason she was in this odd position. Bent over backwards with her feet planted firmly into the ground, she had her long sword right above her face. She was desperately trying to push upwards, but her opponent had different ideas and was pushing downward with all her might. The only way for Li not to fall on the ground was to keep pushing, which was getting harder and harder by the second.

Just then, Li lost her footing and the world began to spin. She fell into the dirt and quickly rolled away from the other soldier so as not to lose her head. There was a collective laugh as she got to her feet, shaking the dizziness from her head. She scowled at the laughing soldiers around her until she looked up at her opponent. Sun Shang Xiang was sitting on the ground, also slightly winded. Apparently after Li fell and rolled away, Shang Xiang had fallen over and nearly pushed herself into her chakrams. The two girls looked at each other and burst into laughter.

"Well, I guess we're done," the princess said as she got to her feet. Li grinned helplessly as she limped over to her friend and helped her pick up the chakrams. "Of course, we could go another round if you want."

Li shot Lady Sun a warning look. "Oh, please. I think I just pulled a muscle in my leg because of you. There is no way I'm going any more rounds with you today."

Sun Shang Xiang grinned. "Just kidding. Hey, lets head back to my room. It's so much cooler in there, and I smell like a man." Li laughed as Lady Sun took a whiff of her arm and screwed up her face. The girls made their way across the field towards the palace, passing the other soldiers and occasionally stopping to watch them. There seemed to be generally more laughter today for some reason. There were days in the training yard where the soldiers were all business, practicing like there was no tomorrow. But Li's and Shang Xiang's slight mishap during their exercises seemed to have made everyone silly. Soldiers were falling all over the place, laughing and trying the moves again. Li wondered how many of them were doing it because they were actually falling, or if they were still teasing the girls.

They were joined about half way to the palace by the Qiao sisters, who had been practicing earlier but were finding it hard to concentrate with all the giggling and such going on around them. Li found this particularly amusing with Xiao Qiao, who was always giggling about something. But today she just seemed agitated.

"It figures that the one time I really want to practice is the day everyone decides to be like me." The youngest Qiao folded her arms sternly across her chest, getting a raised eyebrow from her sister.

"Why so grumpy today, Xiao?" Sun Shang Xiang asked. "You are normally the epitome of happiness."

Da Qiao decided to answer for her sister. "Lord Sun Jian is commencing border checks again. That means most of the men will be away for a while, and the euphoria from the wedding is finally letting down. I think the combination is too much for Xiao."

"Wait, didn't he just do border checks not that long ago?" Li asked. Da nodded.

"Yes, but it seems that Wei has been stirring up trouble, and he wants them to be as secure as possible. So he's sending out some of his officers to check them and make sure Wei has not been scheming against Wu." Li nodded as the rest of the group headed back inside, thinking about Wei. She had heard that Cao Cao seemed to be getting restless, sending small parties across the borders and attacking farms and villages close by. While these were just rumors, it was not something Cao Cao was unwilling to do. Thus it was possible that the rumors were true. Li wondered who Sun Jian would send on such a mission.

"Hey hey! There they are!"

The Little Conqueror's voice brought Li Tai back to reality. He was waving furiously at the girls while Zhou Yu and Lu Meng followed close behind. Within seconds he had made it over and was grinning at Da Qiao, who responded by turning a shade of red. Xiao Qiao continued to be grumpy until Zhou Yu came over and put a hand on her shoulder. Lu Meng smiled at Li, who returned it with a grin of her own.

"Now this is a change," Zhou Yu said, looking down at his wife. "Normally you are the one bounding towards me. Did something happen that I should know about, Xiao?"

"Um, how about the fact that you're leaving?" she answered, perhaps a bit snippier than she normally would have. Sun Ce tried not to laugh, and Sun Shang Xiang punched him in the shoulder when he snickered. Zhou Yu let out a laugh of his own, then hugged her angry figure.

"Is this about the border checks? Well, you don't need to worry. I'm not going anywhere, and neither is Sun Ce." Xiao immediately looked up at him, her crossed arms unfolding as he stepped back.

"Really?" He nodded. Lu Meng took a step forward.

"I am the only one that's leaving," he said. Li immediately gave him a look of confusion and concern. "I am going to accompany Lord Sun Jian, along with Huang Gai, to check the Wei borders. It should not take long." Li said nothing but nodded. Not it was her turn to feel sad. They had been married only a month and already he was leaving. Li knew that such was the life of a soldier under Sun Jian, but since she would not be going with him she would miss him something awful.

Sun Ce sensed the change of mood and threw his arms up in the air. "Well, now that we have thoroughly depressed everyone here, shall we head back? I don't know about you guys, but I am absolutely starving!" Da let a giggle escape, and a much happier looking Xiao gave a nod in reply. As the group began to disperse, Lu Meng moved in step next to Li. He said nothing, but something in his eyes told Li not to worry, that this mission would not take long and he would be home soon. In response, Li slowly slipped a hand into his own, bringing a smile to his face again. Silently, they made their way back to the palace for a much needed break and time to think this whole situation over.

* * *

Once again, Cheng watched from the shadows as the group made their way back inside the palace. He grinned to himself as he slipped through the yard and into the stable, where he had left his horse. The best thing about spying on royalty was that everything was so large, no one would notice someone unfamiliar wandering around or an extra horse in the stable. After making sure no one was around, Cheng opened the stall to his horse, who gently nudged his arm.

"So, Lord Sun Jian is finally ready to move on with life, I see," he said to the horse. "This is very good. Tonight I shall send Cao Cao a letter, telling him to be ready. I love how that man thinks I am only trying to prove myself to him. Cao Cao sees nothing. He understands nothing. Does he not realize that a man's ambitions are greater than his loyalties?" The horse whinnied softly, and Cheng smiled. "You would think that a man like Cao Cao would understand that better than everyone else."

Cheng reached into the saddlebag on the floor and pulled out a note he had prewritten for Cao Cao. Tonight he would give it to one of the boys he had brought with him, and within a few days Cao Cao would be ready to put this first part of Cheng's plan into action. He just hoped that the Imperial Protector would be able to live up to his name and capture the great Tiger of Jiang Dong. Pocketing the letter, he gave his horse a final pet on the nose and swiftly left the stable. He would have loved to stay in the calm of the stable, but there were other things that needed to be done. Plus, he still had people to keep an eye on.

The mercenary let out a grin. At least this part was enjoyable.


	14. Ambush

The sun was just barely beginning to show his face when the riders prepared to set out. There was a mass of about 150 soldiers that were checking their packs, holstering weapons, and loading the carts with supplies. Loved ones were busy saying goodbye and good luck to the warriors as Lord Sun Jian came out into the dim light of the sky. Behind him appeared Huang Gai and Lu Meng, armored and ready to go. Li Tai and Sun Shang were busy loading the carts, but immediately stopped when the man came outside. Sun Ce, Zhou Yu, and Zhou Tai came from the stable with horses for the riders, stopping in front of them and bowing.

"We should only be about a month or so," Sun Jian told the group around him. "I want to dispel these rumors and secure the borders as quickly and uneventfully as possible. If anything should happen, I will send word for help. Sun Ce, make sure that the remaining army keeps up their training should anything go wrong. I am counting on you to keep everything under control here." There was a collective grin among the group as Sun Ce puffed out his chest again.

"Sure thing. You can count on me." Sun Jian smiled and motioned for the horse that his son was holding. After a brief hug from his son, he mounted the horse and motioned for the soldiers to get ready to march. Hang Gai immediately got on his horse, but Lu Meng stayed a moment. He enveloped Li Tai in a strong embrace, and gently kissed her before climbing onto his own horse. She patted the horse's neck and, smiling up at her husband, slowly backed away. As soon as she moved, Sun Jian motioned and the group marched off. The remaining people waited until the small army was out of sight before heading back to the palace.

As Li walked up the long flight of stairs, she noticed that Sun Quan and Lu Xun were standing at the top, also watching the army leave. There was some concern on Lu Xun's face in particular, which for some reason was worrying Li. Sun Quan waited until his brother and sister were up the stairs before turning to go, but Lu Xun stayed behind. Li decided to wait until everyone else had left before approaching him. "Is something wrong, Lu Xun?"

He turned to her and gave her a sad smile. "I am worried about our Lord. I have been feeling uneasy these past few days, and yesterday I had the strangest dream." He faltered a moment, then continued. "I saw Lord Sun Jian, Huang Gai, and Lu Meng reaching a village near the border of Wei when they were attacked. There was an evil looking man standing there, watching the whole scenario take place from inside a giant fire. He let out a laugh that woke me with a start. I decided to go outside and get some fresh air, but when I went outside I swore I saw something move. I thought it was just my imagination until the shadow moved again. It ran down the hall and out of sight. For some reason, it reminded me of the evil man from my dream."

"That's odd," Li Tai commented. "But we shouldn't worry. Lord Sun Jian is a very capable leader, and I believe that the army is capable enough to protect him should anything happen."

Lu Xun nodded. "I just can't help but feel worried. I fear that Cao Cao may be planning something. I just don't know what." Li nodded and made to go inside.

"Then we shall be ready for him." Lu Xun turned around, confused. "Don't forget that we have the best army in all of China. If Cao Cao tries anything, we will be ready for him." She motioned for the young strategist to come inside. "Now come on. You won't do your fears any good by watching the sun rise."

* * *

Despite everything that she had done that day, Lu Xun's words still echoed in Li Tai's head as she readies herself for bed. Watching her husband leave with Lord Sun Jian and Huang Gai, she had not felt anxious or worried about them. But as Lu Xun had conveyed his dream to her, Li felt herself grow nervous for them. She had not considered the fact that they may be in danger. After all, they were three of the best soldiers in China, and they had a good number of men with them should anything happen. Yet, something had begun to gnaw away her insides, making her unsure of her confidence in the army.

It reminded her of how she felt during Hua Ling's accusations. All of her confidence had been destroyed as she looked around the room, each pair of eyes now seeing her differently. Li shook her head to try and rid herself of those memories. That had happened months ago. It was time to move on. _The men are fine_, Li told herself. _And no one knows what happened to Hua Ling. Stop letting things worry you._

There was a creaking noise that drew Li Tai to her balcony. Cautiously, she turned and walked outside, looking around for whatever could have made the movement. She clenched her fists as she had no weapon, ready to defend herself. She looked out into the night. Nothing. She took another look around. Still nothing. Scoffing at herself, Li turned sharply and headed back inside. All this worry that Lu Xun had planted in her head was making her far too twitchy. She needed a good night sleep to calm herself. She took one last look around the room and, satisfied that everything was in order, blew out her candle and threw the sheets over her head.

* * *

Cheng waited a whole hour after she had slipped into bed before climbing onto the balcony. After doing this job for many years, he had learned that patience often got you the results you wanted. Of course, there were exceptions, but as a general rule, it seemed to work just fine. He looked around for guards in her room. Finding none, he smirked to himself. Of course there wouldn't be any guards. She was a great warrior of Wu. She didn't need them.

Perfect.

Slowly, he made his way towards her bed. Tonight, she was alone. Her husband was patrolling the borders, and if everything went according to plan, he would have him, too. He watched the sleeping Li Tai for a few moments. Her long dark hair nearly covered the pillows, and a small strand was strewn across her face. Her mouth was opened slightly, and her breathing was barely audible. She was absolutely beautiful in slumber. Absolutely beautiful.

Cheng could not resist kneeling next to her bedside to get closer to her. He remembered the first time he had seen her. She was seven, the daughter of a farmer and a very hard worker. But her father was very outspoken against his master at the time, so he and his group were forced to raid their village and kill them. He had spared the two children, knowing that one day he would meet them again and claim Li Tai for himself. Even at eight, he knew she would blossom into a beautiful young woman.. But her brother, Zhou Tai, had become very possessive of his sister, and for that, he would also have to be killed. A shame, as he was a highly skilled warrior and would be a fantastic addition to his mercenary group.

"At last, my Lady, we are together," Cheng whispered. He slowly moved his face closer until he could feel her breath on his face. "Soon, I will not have to come to you in the dead of night. Soon, we shall be together forever." He bent is head and continued to move closer until his lips touched her own. She truly was delicious.

And, unfortunately, a light sleeper. Her eyes shot open, and she quickly pushed him away and jumped up on her bed. Cheng knew that he could overcome her, but again, he would have to wait. "I apologize for waking you, my Lady."

"It's you. You're the one from my nightmares."

He grinned. "Perhaps. I am in a lot of people's nightmares, my lady."

Li scowled. "What are you doing here? What do you want from me, you bastard?"

"All that will become apparent in time, Li Tai. I have been watching you closely for many years. But the final part of my plan is falling into place quite nicely. Soon, you and I will be together, and I can stop this work and live with you forever."

"I don't know who you think you are, but I am married and the only person I'm living with is my husband. Now get out before I wake the house."

Cheng's grin returned. "There is no doubt in my mind why I chose you. You are strong willed, cunning and quick witted, and not to mention very beautiful. I cannot wait to make you mine when this is all over."

Li Tai knew that she could not get him out on her own, so she did the only other thing she could think of.

She screamed.

Cheng was not expecting this, as he jumped back from her cry and ran towards the balcony. He stopped at the railing and looked back at her. "Until we meet again, My Lady." With that, he jumped down and landed near a black horse. Li ran to the balcony after him and watched him ride off into the night, shaken from her encounter. Who was that man? And what did he really want with her? Had she finally come face to face with her nightmare?

The sound of running footsteps and her brother's voice drew her back inside her room. She was going to have to make up a reason for her scream, and she knew she couldn't tell them the truth. At least, not quite yet.

* * *

Lu Meng crossed his arms over his chest as he looked out into the night air. They had only been away from home for a week or so, but something in his heart told him that they had been away too long. So far, nothing eventful had happened during this border check. In fact, it seemed too uneventful, if there was such a thing. He longed for this to be over so he could return home to Li. Every time he thought of her, he could feel danger crawling up his back. Lu Meng wasn't sure if it was imagination or precognition of danger. It annoyed him that he wouldn't know if she was alright for another month or so. Sighing, he continued to stare into the night.

The sound of footsteps drew closer, and soon Huang Gai appeared next to Lu Meng. "What is so interesting about the night that you insist on staring at it?" His gruff voice almost made it seem insulting to look out into the darkness.

"I am thinking," Meng answered. "I am getting anxious to be home. There is something unsettling here, and it pains me that I can't put a finger on it."

Huang Gai let out a laugh. "Well, why don't you go and sleep on it? I'm here to relieve you of watch duty." Lu Meng paused a moment, then shook a thought out of his head and went back into camp. As he passed by the main tent, Sun Jian stuck his head out and called to his officer.

"Lu Meng, may I speak with you?" He turned, bowed, and entered the tent behind Sun Jian. There was no one else in the tent at the moment, and a single lantern in the center of the table provided the only light for the room. Meng waited until his lord sat down before taking a seat himself. Sun Jian slowly removed his helmet from his head, allowing Lu Meng to see the worry etched in his face. "I am getting nervous about this excursion, my friend. I keep feeling that something is coming, something bad. But I don't know what it might be."

"Perhaps your fears are not unfounded, my Lord. I, too, have been feeling worry creep into my body lately. I ache to return home." Sun Jian sighed and put his head in his hands. Lu Meng thought a moment. "Do you think that Wei is planning something, my Lord? With regards to Wei, there is often calm before the storm. I fear that that is what is happening now."

"For all our sakes, I hope you're wrong," Sun Jian said, still looking down at the table. "But my gut is telling me otherwise." No sooner had the words come out of his mouth when the drums sounded from the edges of the camp. Voices were shouting different things, and within seconds a single voice carried above them all.

"Ambush!" Huang Gai called out. "Every man ready! Someone get Lord Sun Jian to safety! Wei is attacking full force!"


	15. Departure

It had been over a week since Zhou Tai had woken to his sister's screams. He remembered running to her room to find her looking out from her balcony, almost in tears. Her fists were clenched, as if she had been ready to fight someone. But when Zhou had asked her what was wrong, she turned and said she had awoken from a nightmare. Although skeptical, she had assured him that she was fine and insisted that he return to bed. Since then, she had not woken him up with her screams in the middle of the night.

But even though it was a week ago, the memory still kept him up at night. Zhou Tai was sure it was a nightmare, that was for sure. But somehow, he thought that maybe this nightmare had taken a human form now. He couldn't understand why Li wouldn't tell him what had really happened that night. Was she trying to hide something from him? And if so, what was it? Questions swirled in his head and were beginning to give him a headache.

As if his thoughts had summoned her, Li Tai entered the room and gave her brother a quizzical look. He looked up at her but said nothing. Cautiously, she sat down opposite him and waited a moment before speaking. "Are you okay? You have that I've-been-thinking-too-hard look on your face."

"I'm still thinking about the other night."

Li rolled her eyes. "You mean when I woke up screaming? I told you, I had that nightmare again. I haven't had it since then." She sighed as she leaned back in her chair. "Did it really bother you that much?"

"Yes. There was something about you, the way your fists were balled up, the way you were staring out into the night. It scared me, Li. I wish you would tell me." Li looked at him, trying to determine something in her head. Zhou looked at the wheels turning in her head, hoping that they would stop and tell him what really happened that night. Then she looked down, her expression going from that of concern to that of remembrance.

"Oh, god, there was someone there, wasn't there?" Li just looked at her brother, not saying anything. Somehow, her eyes betrayed her with the truth. "Li, did you finally see the figure from your nightmares? Was he here?" Li averted her eyes back to the ground, refusing to say anything. She was not ready to tell him what really happened until she needed to. She was still trying to figure everything out for herself.

Unfortunately, fate would not give her time enough to think it over.

Li Tai looked up suddenly as the three Sun children came bolting in the room. The concern on their faces immediately told her that something was wrong. Very wrong. "What is it?" she demeaned. "What's going on?"

"Something awful, that's what," Lady Sun cried, almost in tears.

"Lady Tai, you were aware that Our Lord went on a border patrol mission about a week ago?" Sun Quan asked. She nodded. "We received this several hours ago from a man named Cheng. I think you should read this." He pulled out a small piece of paper and handed it to Li Tai. Fearful, she slowly opened it and read it to herself.

**To the Sun Clan and my dearest Lady Tai,**

**I shall start off with a greeting, for it would be extremely rude of me not to. My name is Cheng. Your royal highnesses will not know who I am, but I believe the delicious Li Tai will. That is, if she remembers certain events that happened back when she was the tender age of seven. But there will be time for reunions later. I promise.**

**I encountered your father, Lord Huang Gai, and Lord Lu Meng a few days ago, checking on their borders. Because they were too close to the borders of my Lord Cao Cao, we were forced to take them prisoner and make them pay for their crimes. I know that this may seem unfortunate to you Sun children, and to you, Lady Tai, for I understand that Lord Lu Meng has recently become your husband. Yes, this is rather unfortunate. **

**However, because you are all so closely related to these prisoners, I shall be willing to make an exchange with you. I will return Lords Sun Jian, Huang Gai, and Lu Meng. In exchange, My Lord Cao Cao requests some of the Wu territory for the Kingdom of Wei. He would also like, in exchange, the Lady Li Tai to submit to Wei and become a member of Cao Cao's court. A small price, I think, for the return of Wu's leader and famed officers. **

**Please send your reply so that we can arrange a meeting between our two great kingdoms and discuss the exchange. I look forward to meeting you all, and am looking forward especially to my reunion with the Lady Tai.**

**Master Cheng**

Li Tai's hands were shaking so hard that she nearly ripped the note in two. The calming hand of her brother behind her did nothing to help her. Sun Shang Xiang had finally broken down into tears, and Sun Ce put is arm around her and let her cry into his shoulder. Sun Quan remained stoic, but he, too, was shaking. Fearing that she might lose it, Li put the note down and drew in a sharp breath.

"So he is the one from my nightmares," she said, turning to Zhou Tai. "He was the one we saw when we were seven, the one who ripped us from our homes."

"I don't know," Zhou Tai said gruffly. "His name…….I believe that there is an organization of people that do mercenary jobs for people near our borders with Wei. I think he must be a member of that group."

Sun Quan rubbed his beard. "So he must be working for Cao Cao, then. But there is no way I'll give up our lands for that pig."

Li Tai looked back at the note. "I don't think it's the lands that he's really demanding," she said. The tiny group looked at her, but she kept her eyes on the paper in front of her. "I think what he really wants is me."

"But why?" Lady Sun asked. "Why would he want you?"

"I think the separation of myself and Zhou Tai was only the first part of the plan. The next part was watching us grow up until our abilities were well known and the final part could be planned out."

Zhou Tai knelt next to his sister. "How do you know this?"

"Do you remember the scream from me a few nights ago?" she asked. He nodded. "That was because he was in my room. He had snuck in somehow, and I awoke to find him next to my bed. But he told me something. That he had finally reached the end of his job and soon we would be together and he would never have to work again."

"I knew it. Did he say anything else?" Her brother's grip on her arm was leaving marks on her skin.

"Just that he had been waiting for this since he was eight and all his work would finally pay off." She shook her head. "Then he wasn't the figure from my dreams. He would not have been that tall at the time."

"But you said he would work for a mercenary," Sun Quan said. "Perhaps he has been doing so for longer than we give him credit for. This may indeed be the final phase of his plan. He just started it when he was much younger, that's all."

Li Tai suddenly stood. "Then I need to go. I need to find this Cheng and learn of his true intentions. And I must save the prisoners."

"Why do you have to?" Lady Sun asked. Her brother nodded.

"We'll send the entire army!" Sun Ce cried. "We'll teach this Cheng character not to mess with this family!"

Lady Tai shook her head. "No, that will do you no good. This letter was meant for my ears. He wants me in the bargain. He is simply using Cao Cao as a means of doing it, which involves asking for more that he really wants."

"I refuse to give my sister up to some vagabond," Zhou Tai grumbled.

"Do you think I would willingly give myself up?" she asked him sternly. "I simply want to learn more about this Cheng. He will not capture me so easily." She turned to Sun Quan. "My lord, I will return your father. I stake my life on it."

Sun Ce scoffed. "There is no way we're letting you have all the fun or all the revenge. We're all going with you, and there's no way around it." He turned to his little brother. "Quan, I think it's time we eased the army's boredom and sent them on a mission, don't you?"

"Yes, indeed," he answered with a grin. "Brother, I want you to inform Zhou Yu that we need a plan here, and we need one quick. Tomorrow, we shall all meet and discuss what to do here. In the meantime," he said as he surveyed the group, "we all need to rest after this news. I will send word of the meeting tomorrow."

The group nodded and dispersed. Lady Sun still clung to her oldest brother, as if letting go would cause her to lose her mind. Lady Tai attempted to keep her composure, but as she left she couldn't help but let a single tear fall down her face. Her husband was out there somewhere, and she didn't know what was happening to him. The fact that she could do nothing made the feeling worse. Slowly, she felt her brother slip an arm around her shoulders, and the two made their way back to the courtyard and away from the confusion that had just occurred.

* * *

It was a somewhat somber group that departed from the capital a few days later. Leading the party was very upset looking Sun Ce, followed by Zhou Yu and the two Qiao sisters. Lu Xun and Sun Shang Xiang followed close behind, with Li Tai and Zhou Tai bringing up the rear. Sun Quan and the remaining officers had decided to stay at the capital in case of an emergency. A small number of soldiers remained behind as well, but the bulk of the army now followed the solemn party. Shortly after Cheng's letter had been received, Sun Ce had gathered the troops together and spoke long and hard about the capture of their leader. Immediately the crowd of men had cried out for revenge and begged him to lead them against the Wei scum and rescue Lord Sun Jian.

So as soon as the sun began to paint the sky a few days after, the army made their way to the Wei borders. Although Sun Ce said little during the trip, Li Tai spoke not a word. All she could think about was the letter from Cheng and the night he had appeared in her room. His words that night were fuzzy in the beginning, but the last part still echoed long in her head. _I cannot wait to make you mine when this is all over. _For some reason, his words sent chills up her spine even now. What was it about this man that scared her so? This was ridiculous. Li Tai was a warrior of Lord Sun Jian, feared by many but with no fears of her own. What was happening to her?

"Li, you need to stop this." A voice drew Li from her thoughts and forced her to look up. Sun Shang Xiang had fallen back and was looking at her friend with great concern. "You haven't said a word this entire time, and you always look like you are on the brink of tears."

Li returned her gaze to the ground. "I am sorry," she said hoarsely. "I just cannot stop thinking about this Cheng. There is something about him that makes my blood run cold."

"Well, keep in mind that soon you will get to meet him face to face, and you can give him a piece of your mind."

"I don't think that will help," Li Tai answered sadly. "There is something about him…..something impenetrable. I worry that when I meet with and speak to him, I will not be able to break down the wall he has set up and learn his real intentions. When….when I saw him in my room that night, there was something in his eyes. I could not see what he was thinking. It was eerie. I've never felt so cold before."

Lady Sun put a reassuring hand on her friend's own. "Soon those eyes won't be able to show anything anyway. Cause if you don't kill that bastard, then I certainly will." Li offered a small smile, but nothing could shake the feeling of worry that continued to eat away at her inside.

* * *

He came late that night, after everyone else had set up camp for the night. Li Tai had been in the meeting tent with the others when the young boy was roughly dragged inside. The group immediately got quiet as the soldiers threw the boy inside and went back to their posts. He remained bowed on the floor, trying very hard not to cry. Sun Ce grunted and motioned for the boy to rise. "Who are you and what do you think you are doing here, boy?"

The little boy tried to stand but could not find the use of his legs. Instead, he kept his head bowed and raised a piece of paper into the air. "I have a message from Master Cheng and Lord Cao Cao to Lord Sun Ce and the rest of the army, sirs." Zhou Yu got up and took the letter from the boy, eyeing him suspiciously for a moment before returning to the table and reading the letter aloud.

**To Lord Sun Ce, son of Lord Sun Jian of Wu, and the other members of his army,**

**I am glad that my last letter made it safely into your hands. I admit that I had some concern about the messenger's ability to slip it into your palace, but my scouts have told me that your army fast approaches, pleasing me greatly. At some point within the next two days or so, you will arrive at the village of Tong Shi, or what is left of it anyway. There, the entire Wei army will be waiting to greet you. My Lord Cao Cao will have the prisoners ready for the exchange. When you arrive, send an envoy into our camp and we shall finally meet to discuss a treaty of some kind. Do not try anything foolish, my Lord, for the entire army will be here and is prepared to attack should you try anything. I look forward to our meeting in the near future.**

**Master Cheng**

Zhou you folded the letter up neatly and turned to the messenger boy. "Thank you for bringing us this, my boy."

He trembled from the floor. "So……are you going to……kill me now?" The tears began to well up in his eyes as the group looked on. "Every time someone brings Lord Cao Cao bad news, he beheads them."

"On the contrary, we want to keep you alive." Sun Ce nodded and stood from the table. "You are going to be our messenger when we meet up with the Wei army. Do you think you can stand to be among the enemy for a few days?" The boy nodded deeply, clearly relieved that he was going to live. Sun Ce motioned for one of the servants near the door to take the boy away and find him a place to stay. After the boy had left, Sun Ce sat back down.

"Well, that was rather cocky of him," Lu Xun commented. "_Do not try anything foolish_." Hmph. We could crush the Wei army right now if we wanted to."

Zhou Yu nodded. "Indeed. I know from our own scouts that a good chunk of the army is still far north on some kind of campaign. It would be impossible for Cao Cao to attack us full force right now. But we must pretend that our army is not strong enough to fight that of Wei for the moment. They might become desperate and kill the captives. We cannot afford to take any risks."

"We need to decide what we are going to do when we get there," Li Tai said from the end of the table. "Who is going to meet with Cao Cao and Cheng, what we are going to do and say, and what our army will be doing while they are waiting. Any suggestions?"

Lu Xun stood across from her. "First, we are going to use the young boy to deliver our message to Cao Cao when we arrive at the camp. After we arrange a time and place with them, I think only three or four of us should meet with Wei. I propose that Sun Ce, Zhou Yu, myself, and Li Tai be the ones to meet with Cao Cao and Cheng. Meanwhile, the remaining officers will stay in our own camp to prepare for the ambush."

"We have no intention of giving up any of our lands or officers to Cao Cao," Zhou Yu said, standing to address the tiny group. "During the meeting, we will make it seem as if we are considering giving into Wei's demands. While Cao Cao and his officers are occupied, the army will be divided up into sections and spread out over the area. When we return from negotiations, we will make it seem as though we are sending you back to the capital, when you shall actually be moving to surround the Wei camp. That night we shall make our move.

"I want each of us to attack the camp from a certain angle," Zhou Yu continued, taking out a map and spreading it out on the table where everyone could see. "Li and Zhou Tai, you will attack the west part of the camp, where I believe the prisoners are being held. Lu Xun and Sun Shang Xiang will attack the east part of camp, where the bulk of the army's supplies are being kept. Xiao, you and I will cut off any escape from the north side of the camp, and Sun Ce and Da Qiao will attack full force from the south. Do whatever you need to do to get to the prisoners and get them out safely, whether it means killing masses of Wei troops or buring supplies or whatever it may be. The key is to get to the prisoners and get them to safety at any cost."

Zhou Tai peered over at the map. "So we will most likely be the first to reach them. Is there some kind of signal that we should use to indicate we have them safely?"

"Yes. One of you should launch a fire arrow into the sky so that we know," Lu Xun answered. "Does anyone else have any more questions at the moment?" The group shook their heads.

"Then the only other thing to do is get some rest and tell your troops about the plans," Zhou Yu said, rolling up the map. "I will see you all again in the morning."


	16. Tainted Victory

Li Tai could feel her stomach turn as she rode up to the castle with the others the next night. Just like Cheng had said in his letter, a large number of soldiers were waiting to greet them when they neared the borders the next day. The large group, anxious to make it to their destination in order to save Lord Sun Jian, had marched at a much quicker pace than normal. The Wei army seemed shocked at their early arrival, but had said nothing as they led the enemy to the camp. Li had ridden at the head of the Wu army, hoping to catch a glimpse of Cheng or, better still, their captives. But she saw only soldiers as she entered their makeshift camp and set up. Now that night had fallen, it was time once again for her to come face to face with her nightmare, Cheng.

Cao Cao had done everything he could to make his camp look twice as large as that of Wu. The wall he had built around it seemed to go on forever, and inside the camp were erected some of the biggest tents Li had ever seen. She refused, however, to be intimidated by size. So she held her head up high as they passed the gate and rode towards the biggest tent of them all. The soldiers inside all seemed to stop what they were doing to come and see this tiny group. Many pointed and jeered at them, but Wu would not be taken down so easily. They continued towards the center until they came across three figures standing in front of the meeting tent. Cao Cao, Sima Yi, and Cheng were all waiting with rueful grins, ready for the challenge that the four riders would present them with.

The riders dismounted and Cao Cao motioned for them to follow him inside. Sima Yi and Cheng stood at opposite ends of the tent entrance as they followed the Wei leader inside. Li could feel Cheng's eyes follow her every move, but refused to look him in the eye as she passed him. Once inside, she took a seat next to Lu Xun on the right side of Cao Cao, with Sun Ce and Zhou Yu directly across from them. Sima Yi took the empty chair on Cao Cao's right, next to Lu Xun. Cheng took the other seat between Cao Cao and Sun Ce.

"My friends, I bid you welcome," Cao Cao greeted them. "I know that time is short and precious, so we will excuse the formalities and get right down to business. As I am sure Cheng told you in his letter, we have in our presence two of your officers and your leader. We are willing to return them to you unharmed. In exchange, we want a part of your land and Master Cheng here has made a special request." Cheng turned his head and gave Li Tai a very smug and toothy grin. It made her feel nauseous.

"We know what your offer is, Lord Cao Cao," Sun Ce answered. "But see, there's one slight problem with this. We really don't feel like giving you any of our land, and Li is already married and situated back in Wu. It would hardly be fair to force her to divorce her husband, whom she loves, to come and live with some stalker."

Cheng turned to the Little Conqueror. "My Lord, you really have no choice in the matter. If you refuse to give into our demands, then the prisoners will be executed and I am under the impression that you need Lord Sun Jian to lead your own kingdom."

Sun Ce made to say something, but Zhou Yu put a hand on his shoulder to calm him down. "Is there any possibility of a compromise, Lord Cao Cao. As I'm sure you yourself know, it is very hard to part with one's land and officers. If there is some other way that we could come to a conclusion on this matter, then I would greatly like to hear it."

"I believe I have made my demands very clear," Cao Cao answered. "I also believe that I am being very lenient here. There will be no compromise. Either Wu gives up a part of their lands and hands over Lady Li Tai, or the prisoners will be dead by morning."

There was silence in the room for a moment when Lu Xun spoke up. "I must admit that we had hoped for some kind of compromise on this matter, my Lord Cao Cao. We will have to return to our camp and discuss things among ourselves. We shall return here in the morning to further discuss this matter when we have heard everyone's opinions and thoughts on this. May we have the night to think it over? We can dispatch our army so as to prove to you that we have no intentions of fighting you."

Sima Yi leaned over and whispered something into Cao Cao's ear, who nodded in response. Cheng looked at the strategist, who gave him a nod. Cao Cao stood. "Very well. Dispatch your army and return in the morning. I will have everything drawn up so we can make this quick and painless. Are there any other orders of business to tend to before we all depart?" The group shook their heads and everyone got up to leave. Li noticed Cheng staring at her once again as she made to leave, and fearing that he might catch her alone again, planted herself next to Lu Xun and left the tent with the others.

* * *

Cheng watched Li Tai leave with Lords Sun Ce, Zhou Yu, and Lu Xun with a smile plastered on his face. Compromise? Master Cheng did not compromise. If people did not give into his demands, he simply took what he wanted. There was nothing more to it. And if this pathetic group of warriors did not hand over the Lady Tai, he would take her. He cared not if she was married and situated. It would just make his victory that much sweeter. Plus, killing her husband would just cement his triumph, the end of the journey he had started when he was eight. The thought of watching Lu Meng bleed to death at his feet made his smile grow wider.

He looked around and noticed that Cao Cao and Sima Yi were gone. Seeing no need to remain inside the tent, he left and walked out into the warm night air. There was no trace of the Wu officers anywhere. In fact the only people that were nearby were a handful of soldiers chatting by a fire. Most of the others had either retired or were on guard duty. Cheng silently cursed Cao Cao for sending a fourth of his army north on campaigns. There was no need to worry about the northern borders at the moment. Right now, almost all of the Wu army was outside their camp, itching for a fight.

"I am surprised that you said nothing to your spoils of this war, Cheng." He did not need to turn around to find Sima Yi standing there. He scowled a bit as his old acquaintance moved to stand next to him. "I would think that, with all the work you've done, you would have at least made the attempt."

Cheng smirked. "I do not need to worry about such minor details right now," he answered. "I was actually just thinking about how foolish it was to not have the entire army with us for this. We cannot afford to be cocky at this point in time."

Sima Yi let out a laugh. "This coming from you, the Lord of Cockiness. Did you not read your own letters to Wu?"

"I think I am the only one here who can afford to be cocky, Yi. You know very well that as soon as I have Lady Li Tai within my grasp, I will have no reason to stay with Wei. Should trouble come, I will leave you and your master to fight your own battles."

Sima Yi sighed. "Yes, I do know that. A pity , too. You are a fine warrior and strategist, my friend. You would make a valuable addition to Lord Cao Cao's court." He waved his fan in front of his face to clear the bugs flying about. "But you align yourself with no man, save for the pathetic group of mercenaries you call friends. And even then, you will drop them like rocks should anything happen. You are a liar and a cheater, my friend. That is the only reason I will not try and convince you to stay."

"A wise choice, Sima Yi." The two looked at each other and grinned. Each one knew that, despite all their differences, they were very similar people. Had their roles been reversed, they each would have made the same decisions. The feelings were mutual.

The two made to go their separate ways when an explosion erupted at the other end of the camp. Their supply unit was suddenly engulfed in flames, with people screaming from every direction. Before the two could react, another explosion took place to the north, then again to the south and the east. The entire perimeter of their camp had become a ring of fire, and no one knew what to do first. The camp became a den of chaos. The only problem was that no one knew what had started it. With a quick glance at each other, the two men set off in opposite directions: Sima Yi to find Cao Cao, and Cheng to secure the prisoners.

* * *

Despite the screaming of the Wei officers and soldiers around them, the Wu army entered silently and swiftly. Each soldier wore a combination of red and purple so that they would be recognized by their own, but among the chaos would remain undetected by the enemy. With motions from the officers, the soldiers began their hunt for the prisoners and anything else of value that they could find. Tent after tent was searched, but nothing could be found except for soldiers trying to douse the flames and save what they could. The Wei army didn't realize that their attempts to quench the flames were futile, as the Wu army was doing their utmost to feed the fire.

Li and Zhou Tai made sure that they stuck together. It would be way too easy to get lost here. They searched tent after tent, but weren't having much luck. So far, they hadn't had to kill any soldiers. No one seemed to notice that the famed warriors of Wu were among them. It was good for them, but each of them had the urge to grab the nearest Wei soldier and demand to know where the prisoners were. But that might set off as alarm of some kind, and all this planning and strategy would be for nothing. So the twins kept up the search, hoping for a break soon.

They reached a clearing a short ways into the camp where a large tent had been erected. Li knew that it was not the same one she was in before, and a wave of hope and excitement swept through her. She tugged her brother towards the tent, grabbing a handful of their own soldiers to help them. Without checking to see what might be greeting them, the siblings threw open the tent. Tied up in a heap of the floor were their prisoners, blindfolds preventing them from seeing the chaos around them. The group hurried over and began to untie their leader and officers, letting out cheers that they had been found. Once the three captives had been freed of their binds, the soldiers hurried them out of the tent before they could say a word.

As they left the tent, Li Tai pulled out her bow and a single arrow and motioned towards her brother, who was helping Sun Jian to safety. He nodded and was soon out of sight. Li lit the head of her arrow on a nearby tent that had caught fire and began to set in in her bow. But before she could raise it, something struck her hard on the back of her head and forced her to the ground. Before her assailant could get in another blow, she rolled around and jumped to her feet. But nothing could have prepared her for the person she saw standing there, a staff in hand.

"Going somewhere, Lady Li Tai?" It was impossible. And yet, there was no mistaking that sneer. She had changed since the last time Li had seen her. But the malice in her eyes was unmistakable. It was the same woman, all right. But yet, there was no way…….

"Let me pass, Hua Ling. I have had my quarrel with you. There is nothing between us anymore."

"Oh, but there is, my Lady," Hua yelled over the roar of the flames and the soldiers. "You see, you have just invaded the camp of my new master, Lord Cao Cao. For that, I must kill you. A fitting revenge, don't you think? After all, you got me driven out of Wu, the only place I ever called home. You made my life a living hell. I swore revenge, and by the gods I will have it."

Li drew her sword, hoping that she would not have to use it. "I did nothing to you that was not coming to you, Hua. You did everything that you could to bring me down, and all it did was hurt you more. Believe me, if I could have, I would have pleaded with Sun Jian to spare you and let you stay. But he was set in his ways and would not have listened."

"You liar!" Hua Ling spat. "You cared only about yourself and raising your status. You know very well that it should have been me, rising above all the rest. You knew it!"

"Hua, listen to me. As I said before, maybe you were destined for bigger and better things. I don't have that answer. But I can say in all honesty that if I could have, I would have tried to prevent this from happening. We could have been great friends, Hua. But you were so bent on my destruction that you brought about your own. Please, let me pass, and I will say nothing to anyone about this encounter."

Hua Ling let out a laugh. "You think you can push me over that easily? Try again, my lady." Suddenly, another explosion set off near the two women. Li ducked as a piece of wood came flying her way. A scream brought her head up immediately, and she looked across the clearing to see where it had come from. She bit back a gasp of shock as she got to her feet. Hua Ling was in a heap on the ground, a large chunk of wood sticking out of her right leg. Her old enemy was sobbing and growing pale as the blood began to soak the ground beneath her. Without a second thought, Li Tai ran over to her and checked her leg. A very skilled surgeon was going to need to take that out.

Seeing her bow nearby, Li took another arrow from her pack and lit the head. She took her bow and shot the arrow into air, then threw it to the ground and eased Hua into a standing position. A moment later, three more fire arrows flew through the sky in response to her own. Knowing that the others knew, she picked up Hua with minor difficulty and hurried away from the camp, still unnoticed by the Wei soldiers around her.

* * *

Zhou Tai was waiting for Li at the entrance of their camp. "Li, what happened? You were right behind me, and I…." his voice trailed off as he looked from his sister to Hua Ling in her arms. "What the hell is she doing here? And what the hell are you doing bringing her back into camp?"

Li pushed him aside as she headed towards the infirmary tent. "She is badly injured, Zhou, and I wasn't going to just leave her there."

"But she is an enemy of Wu."

"And she used to be a friend of Wu. Fate brought us together again, brother, and I am going to do what I can for her." Leaving her confused brother behind, she hurried into the tent and deposited Hua on an empty cot. The doctor immediately rushed over and began to pull the wood out. Hua was beginning to shake, and her face was slowly turning pale. The blankets were soon soaked with blood.

"I don't think she's going to make it," the doctor said frantically, trying to stop the bleeding in her leg. "She's lost a lot of blood already, and the flow isn't stopping."

"Keep trying," Li said, trying to sound calmer than she really was. She put a hand on Hua's forehead. It was cold as ice. Hua weakly held out her hand towards he enemy, and Li quickly grasped it. Tears were flowing from the eyes of both women now. Hua tried to say something, but the energy was draining as quickly as her blood. Li Tai continued to wipe her forehead and try to sooth her enemy. "Its okay, Hua. Let go. Go on to a better place, where there is no pain and suffering. It's okay." Hua let out a gasp of pain as the doctor made another go at her leg. A few seconds later, Hua's head fell to the side, and she closed her eyes. Soon after, the blood flow from her leg stopped, and Li knew the woman had passed on. The doctor shook his head and got up to tend to another soldier, who had a minor burn on his arm but was clearly going to live.

Li just sat there, staring at the empty shell of Hua Ling. She let the memories of what had happened in the last few minutes soak in. She had met a woman with an intent to kill her, a woman full of hatred and malice. Something had made Li pull her from the flaming inferno of the Wei camp. She didn't know what it was, even now that her enemy was dead. But at least she was in a better place. She hoped Hua Ling did not hate her anymore in the spirit world. After saying a silent prayer, Li got up and left the tent.

Zhou Tai, Lu Xun, Zhou Yu, and Sun Ce were all standing outside the tent. Li didn't care that she had tear stains in her eyes or that she was covered in sweat, grime, and Hua's blood. She felt empty for some reason. Zhou Yu cleared his throat. "Li, your brother just told us what you did. I am assuming that Hua Ling has moved on." Li nodded, and he took a step forward and put his hand on her shoulder. "What you did was very admirable. I am sure Hua Ling has forgiven you in the spirit world. But we must move on, for there are others still among the living who wish to see you."

Li just nodded as the group moved towards the meeting tent. She felt her brother's strong hands on her shoulders as he guided her inside. She was immediately enveloped in the strong arms of Lu Meng, who had apparently been waiting at the entrance. Li immediately felt better as she wrapped her arms around him in an embrace. No words needed to be said. Both had been waiting for this for a long time. Li did not want to let go, but Lu Meng released her so that the others could see her. Sun Jian and Huang Gai were standing before her, grinning from ear to ear.

"My Lady, I cannot thank you enough for saving our lives," Sun Jian said, still a little winded from the whole experience. "We are all forever in your debt."

Li bowed low. "My Lord, you make it sound as if I was the only one who helped. I was but one part of it."

"But I have already thanked the others. You were the last to return, and so you are the last to receive my thanks." Sun Jian made to say more, but a messenger came running into the tent. He barely stopped to bow before stopping in front of the crowd.

"My lords, the Wei army is outside our camp. They are ready to attack at any moment. Lord Cao Cao is demanding to see you all, or else he'll attack full force and destroy us all."


	17. Facing The Nightmare

It was indeed a sight one had to see to believe. Even with a good chunk of his army gone, Cao Cao had quite a force underneath him. He sat at the head of his army, a scowl plastered on his face that could not be wiped away. If the ambush hadn't driven him mad, then seeing the whole of the Wu army would. He looked ready to explode at any moment. On either side of him were his trusted officers, the ones that were famed throughout the land for their prowess on the field of battle. All they needed was for Cao Cao to make the motion, and it would be all out war right here, right now. It was somewhat impressive.

"Sun Jian, you coward! Show yourself before my army forces you out here!" Even from far away, the extent of Cao Cao's anger was obvious. Sun Jian appeared at the front of the line of his own army, with his children and officers on either side of him. Cao Cao pointed his sword directly at the Wu leader. "Come here and fight me, you worthless scum! I will have your head for this outrage!"

Sun Jian laughed a bit. "What, now that you've lost me you've lost everything? I will not fight you, Cao Cao. It would not be fair. You see, I have my entire army with me, and by the looks of things, you are missing a few. No, it would not do to fight you now."

"You will fight me, or you will fight my army," Cao Cao responded. "I may have a smaller army than you at the moment, but we will fight stronger, harder, and longer than any of your pathetic soldiers. So unless you want all of your men to die, you will fight me right here for it all."

Sun Jian thought for a moment, and then reached for his sword. Li Tai hurried over and put a hand on her leader. "My Lord, you mustn't fight. Cao Cao's rage will make him a formidable opponent, and we have worked so hard to get you back."

Sun Ce nodded. "She's right, pop. It wouldn't be good if anything happened to ya."

"Then what do you suggest?" Sun Jian asked. "Do you want to fight him?"

Li Tai smiled. "I have an idea. But you have to trust me, my Lord." She bowed low to him, and he sighed.

"Alright, do what you must if you think you can beat him." Li Tai nodded and, taking her sword in her hand, marched out in front of the Wu army. There was a slight chuckle from the Wei side, but Cao Cao was far from amused. She could almost see the veins popping in his head at the sight of her. Excellent.

"Cheng!" she cried out into the enemy army. "Now it's your turn to come out, you coward. You wanted me? Well you're going to have to fight me then." There was a moment of stunned silence, and moments later Cheng appeared at Cao Cao's side. A sword in his hand, he stepped forward.

"Ah, my Lady Li Tai. It seems that we are at an impasse here. What ever shall we do about this mess?"

"Don't you be so formal with me, you bastard. This whole mess is your fault, and you know it." She gave him a slight smile. "But I am willing to work with you to fix this, if you are willing to do so." She could feel the mood behind her change, and she wondered who had had to hold her brother and husband back at that statement. Good. She would need their emotions to feed her during this ordeal.

"I'm glad you finally see that there is no way out, My Lady," Cheng answered. "Now how do you propose that we clear this whole situation up?"

She smirked. "I have an easy solution. You and I will fight. Here and now. If you are the victor, then I will submit to you and return with you. In addition, Wu will give into the demands of Wei and give up a portion on their lands. If I win, then you and the Wei army return to your homes and cause no more trouble. If you do, Wu will be very unforgiving and will take whatever action they feel is necessary. Do you agree?"

Cheng thought for a moment. "I see there will be no more room for compromise with you. Good." He turned to Cao Cao, who nodded in acceptance of the terms. Li did the same to Sun Jian, who rather reluctantly nodded. Li turned back around to face Cheng.

So this was how it was going to end. A single duel between Li Tai and her nightmare. The winner would take home everything while the loser would die without honor. Tonight, there would be no mistakes made, for one would cost Wu everything.. Li Tai took her position opposite the shadow and pulled out her Tiger Fang Sword in front of her. Everything that she had ever learned would be put to the test. And if she failed? Li shook her head to erase those thoughts. Failure was not an option.

Despite the total silence in the air, Li could feel the inner cheers and cries of her fellow officers from behind her. Sun Jian was now back on his faithful horse, flanked by his officers on either side. Two of his children - Sun Ce and Sun Shang Xiang - stood beside their father. Zhou Yu, Lu Xun, and Huang Gai, all looked on from their line of soldiers. Each of the Qiao sisters clung to their husband. But it was the inner voices of Lu Meng and Zhou Tai that cried the loudest. For those two voices alone, Li Tai refused to lose this fight.

Cheng's menacing grin could be seen even with his distance from Li. As he took out his own sword, he offered a hand towards Li. "Last chance, my lady. Last chance to make the one decision that will either make you or break you."

Li scowled. "I have already made my decision. I think you will find that it is your own choices that will break you. If not your choices, then my wrath." Cheng's grin faltered a bit, but he nodded in acknowledgement of her choice. With that motion, the battle began.

Everything Li Tai had been taught was coming back to her in waves. Cheng charged with unbelievable speed, but Li was ready as she blocked, swung, charged, and blocked again. Cheng was like a blur on the battlefield. As soon as he had swung, he moved in preparation for another strike attempt. But Li was just as swift, always able to block his own attacks then swipe him away for her own attempt. Back and forth, back and forth the battle raged. For a moment, it seemed that each were evenly matched.

Li Tai knew that she had to do something to gain an edge in this battle before Cheng did. As he charged again, Li dropped to her knees and grabbed his legs as he tumbled by her. If she could not beat him with the spear, then she would use her muscle instead. He tried to jump back to his feet, but Li still gripped them tightly as she reached for his face. Pulling his helmet off, she punched him square in the face before rolling away and getting to her own feet. Cheng felt her release his legs and got up. He didn't seem to notice the blood that was pouring out of his nose. His grin refused to go away.

Kicking up his sword from the ground, he lunged at Li for another bout. This time, Li was not quick enough to move out of the way, and his sword nicked her arm. She bit back a gasp of pain and she felt her shirt begin to soak up the blood. But again, she refused to go down. She made her own charge, and the battle continued. Despite their injuries, in addition to the ones that came from missed blocks and successful strikes, the two were still evenly matched. Li Tai struggled to formulate another plan inside her head between blows.

As she blocked another one of Cheng's attacks, he gave a small whistle. Li's eyes went wide with surprise as he let up a bit on the attack. She realized what he had done, but could do nothing. She felt herself be thrown from her feet, an arrow now firmly planted right above her heart. Before anything could be done, Cheng grabbed her neck and hoisted her into the air.

"I think you were mistaken," he said loud enough for both armies to hear. A plan came to Li, and she closed her eyes as if drifting into death. She let her spear fall to the ground as Cheng displayed her to everyone present. "There will indeed be a broken body here tonight, but it will not be me." He began to squeeze Li's neck, slowly choking the life from her.

There was no way for Cheng to see it coming. In an instant, Li's eyes snapped open and she swung her legs up to Cheng's face, Wrapping her legs around his thin neck, she twisted his arm away from her. She used his breastplate and pushed off, bringing him down to the ground with her. As Li hit the ground, she bent her legs down and rolled away from Cheng. The snap that sounded before she rolled brought total silence to the camp. Getting up slowly, Li Tai walked over to Cheng and kicked his body over with her foot. His head rolled unnaturally to his side.

"Wrong again, Cheng." Li Tai spat, picking up her own weapon. As she straightened herself, pain seared through her chest. She would need a surgeon to remove that arrow later. But for now, she hobbled over to Sun Jian, who looked ready to fall of his saddle in shock. Lu Meng and Zhou Tai hurried over and positioned themselves on either side of her for support. once in the safety of the Wu army, Li turned to face Cao Cao.

"Your soldier has fallen, Cao Cao. You must do as was agreed. Leave Wu now and never return on pain of death if you do."

Cao Cao smirked atop his horse. "I have lost but one soldier. I still have an entire army alongside me, and with their help I shall take over Wu. You cannot keep me off of your lands." He raised his hand to signal the attack.

It was a very angry Li Tai who wrenched the arrow out of her chest and grabbed a bow from Lu Meng. Aiming carefully and quickly, she let the arrow fly towards Cao Cao. She did not want to kill him, only to hit him. The arrow flew true as it grazed his left arm, forcing him to drop his sword in pain. By a feat of coincidence, the arrow continued to fly past him, finding a new home in the head of one of his soldiers. Poor Mao was so shocked at is friend Cheng's loss that he did not even try to step out of the way.

"Army, forward!" came a cry from above Li. Sun Jian had taken advantage of Li's episode to raise his own sword in a rally against Cao Cao. Without a second's hesitation, Li Tai and the rest of the Wu army charged and drove themselves into the very heart of the army. But the battle lasted no more than fifteen minutes. Cao Cao ordered an immediate retreat, and the Wu army chased them as far back as they could without going over the Wei borders. Needless to say, it was a very cheerful group that returned to camp soon after.

* * *

A few days later, the trumpets sounded loudly as the army returned to the capital. The cheering that erupted as they entered was unlike any that Li Tai had ever heard. They had not even entered the city when they were surrounded by the remainder of the army and the other villagers. They followed the army all the way back to the city and the palace, where everyone was enveloped in the arms of loved ones and friends and family. It was like a wave of joy that had swept across the Kingdom of Wu.

Li Tai watched it all from the back of the army. She had insisted on bringing Hua Ling's body back to Wu and giving her a proper burial. Despite everything that Hua had done, Li felt that it was the least she could do. As the people were overtaking the army, Li turned and went up a back road behind the palace. She stopped out near the tree line, where the funeral pyre was kept until it was needed. She loaded it with wood and hoisted Hua's body up on top of it, difficult in light of her now bandaged shoulder. Lighting a stick of wood, she held it under the pyre until the whole thing had caught on fire. Li took a step back and watched as her former enemy's body succumbed to the fire and smoke. She wished more than anything else that her and Hua Ling could have set things right without one of them having to die for it. But there was nothing that could be done now. So she simply watched as the smoke carried Hua's soul up to the heavens.

As the fire died down, Li Tai heard footsteps behind her. She turned to see Zhou Tai and Lu Meng walking towards her, smiling. "Are you ready to return, Li?" Lu Meng asked. "Sun Jian is asking to see you." Li looked back at the smoldering form of Hua and nodded.

"Yes. I am ready to finally finish this whole ordeal." With the support of her brother on one side and her husband on the other, the trio made their way back to the palace, where the sounds of celebration could already be heard from far away.

It was to the sounds of cheers that the small group entered the room to. Li Tai couldn't help but grin as she leaned against Lu Meng for support, a thick bandage wrapped around her chest wound. Zhou Tai walked on Li's other side, ready to help should she need it. He had taken his helmet off at Li's and Sun Jian's request, but the smile on his face betrayed any fears he had about being in public without it. Had it really only been a year ago that he had discovered this sister? Already she had proven herself to be equal to him in every way; strong, honorable, loyal, and yet caring under her sharp exterior. He had thanked the gods every day for returning her to him, but after saving his best friend and Lord Sun Jian, he could find no more thanks to give. The amount seemed insignificant to what she deserved.

Sun Jian stood from his throne as the three made their way towards him and bowed. He walked down the stairs to them and beckoned them to stand. He turned to Li Tai and gave her a slight bow of his own. "My lady, it is I who should be bowing to you."

"Please don't, My lord," she answered, blushing. "You took me in as a servant, showed me kindness as Zhou Tai's sister, and welcomed me as a Lady. I don't require anymore than that to make me happy."

"Lady Tai, you have just saved an entire kingdom," Sun Jian replied to this. "There is nothing that can repay you for such an honor."

"My lord, as I said, I require nothing. As long as I am allowed to remain in your service, surrounded by the people I love, then I will be satisfied." She felt Lu Meng tighten his grip around her shoulders, and she looked up at one of the biggest smiles she had seen him give.

Sun Jian took a few steps back until he could see the entire delegation. "Well spoken, my Lady. We should all be so lucky to know people like Li Tai during our short lives on the earth. Among the chaos of this day and age, champions rise as they are called. We each have our own champions before you, who have fought valiantly and bravely as any of those in Wei and Shu. But I can truthfully say that we carry the greatest. And I am beside myself with joy to add another stalwart hero to our own today. Please raise a cheer for Lady Li Tai!"

In an instant, the room was filled to the brim with cheers and shouts from the delegation. Sun Shang Xiang ran down the stairs and hugged a breathless Li Tai, being careful of her chest wound. Gan Ning, however, was not so careful. Between him and Huang Gai, Li was unable to breath. Taishi Ci and Lu Xun were a little more subtle about their congratulations, beaming as they patted her shoulder and hugged her slightly. But it was the great hug from her brother that took Li by surprise. When everyone else had finished, Zhou Tai enveloped his sister in an embrace that would have killed anyone else. Li could feel her cheeks getting wet has her tears mixed with his. For all his fears of being seen emotional in public, he was making quite a scene with his crushing hug and salty tears. The crowd cheered loudly again as they continued to embrace.

"Thank you, Li. You have given me the gift of a sister, and friend, and a hero. I could not ask for more."

Li smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek. As soon as she let go, she found herself enveloped once again, but Lu Meng was much gentler than her brother had been.

"You saved my life back there," he said, brushing a stay piece of hair out of her face. She laughed and gently touched his cheek.

"I do what I can:" she responded. Lu Meng grinned, then hoisted her in the air and spun her around.

"My wife is the most amazing woman ever!" The crowd erupted in cheers again as he brought Li back down to earth and planted a kiss on her lips. No one could recall a moment like this ever before, a moment where there was absolute peace and happiness in the kingdom of Wu. As the cheers of the people carried into the night air, all of the problems in the world ceased. There was not conflict, no war, no strife. No poverty, sickness, or evil. There was just happiness, the special kind that turns everything it touches into wonder, joy, and awe.


	18. Epilogue

The little boy stared at his reflection in the water below him, marveling at the boy who looked just like him and made all the same motions that he did. He reached out to touch him, but as soon as his finger touched the water the other boy vanished. The little boy became sad until, moments later, the other one returned. Giggling, he tried to touch him again. The other boy disappeared, but he knew that he would return soon. For several minutes he played this game with his reflection, making the other child disappear and reappear.

"Lu Ba, what on earth are you doing?" The boy turned to see his friend, Zhou Xun, running towards him. His long brown hair whipped playfully around him, and Lu Ba laughed as he nearly tripped on his white and red robes.

"I found this neat little trick!" he exclaimed, pointing towards the water. "This boy that looks just like me is on the other side of the water, but when I touch him, he leaves. But he always comes back. It's so much fun!"

Zhou Xun sat down as his friend demonstrated. "That's just your reflection, silly." He squealed as Lu Ba playfully splashed water in his face, and soon both were on their feet chasing each other through the garden. Even at the ages of six and seven, the two had become fast friends. Zhou Xun was always the smart, logical one. Lu Ba was the brave, courageous one. But they were rarely seen apart, and everyone in the kingdom agreed that they would grow up to be lifelong friends. After all, their parents were friends and well known warriors throughout the land. Why shouldn't these two boys be?

After a while, the boys succumbed to exhaustion and collapsed onto the warm grass. "Did you hear about that great battle dad was talking about earlier?" Lu Ba asked, lying on his back with the sun in his face. Zhou Xun nodded as he lay on his stomach.

"Yes. I don't think Wei will try anything stupid like that again for a long time. At least that's what father says."

Lu Ba laughed. "He should know. He's the reason we beat their butts into the ground."

"Lu Ba! Watch your mouth!" The boys shot up as two women approached them. Lu Ba turned a shade of red with embarrassment, but Zhou Xun just grinned. The women stopped a few paces away from them, the taller of the two with her hands crossed and the shorter one trying not to laugh. "We don't say things like that around here," the tall one said.

"Aw, mom, everyone says things like that around here," Lu Ba protested. "Besides, there's no one else around to hear us."

"Because we don't count," the other woman said. Zhou Xun fell onto his back laughing as Lu Ba continued to grow redder. She laughed, and the taller woman succumbed to a grin of her own.

"It's ok, Lu Ba. All is forgiven. I was actually going to tell you that the real way we say it is……"

The other woman roughly nudged her friend in the arm. "Don't even say it. And you call yourself a mother!" At this, everyone began laughing. It continued until the sounds of horns could be heard on the other side of the palace walls. "Ah, my father and brothers are back." The shorter woman turned to the others. "Shall we go and greet them?" The boys cheered, jumped up, and ran off towards the palace. The taller woman shook her head.

"Remind me again, Sun Shang Xiang, why I decided to have children?"

The other woman laughed. "So you could teach him how to swear like his mother and his father. Oh, and because you love children and always wanted one of your own."

"Thanks, Lady Sun." She grinned helplessly. "That boy is going to grow up to be a splitting image of his father, in more than just his looks. It scares me a little."

The princess laughed. "I wouldn't worry about it, Li Tai. If Lu Ba is anything like his father, the kingdom of Wu will never have to worry about anything." She paused a moment. "But I see a lot of his mother in him, too. He will grow up to be a fine combination of two of the best people I know. Yes, the kingdom will be blessed to have such a fine warrior among its ranks." Li Tai smiled at her friend with thanks as they made their way towards the palace to welcome the arrival of Sun Jian and his sons.

* * *

Lu Meng knew he was there before he saw him. The tiny pitter patter of feet grew louder until they stopped just behind him. He gave into a grin as he turned to see his son standing there. "I was wondering where you'd run off to. Lord Sun Jian would have been very disappointed if you weren't here to greet him."

Lu Ba gave his father a boyish grin. "I was in the garden with Zhou Xun. I wasn't doing anything wrong, dad. "

"And he would never even dream of missing Lord Sun Jian's return," another voice said from behind them. Li Tai smiled at her boys as she hurried over. Sun Shang Xiang gave Lu Ba a wink before taking her place at the head of the line forming around them. With her father and brothers gone, she was the undisputed head of the household. Others may not have agreed with it, but Lu Ba knew that Lady Sun was a capable leader, despite her somewhat short temper. Rumor had it that she was engaged to be married to the leader of Shu, so she needed practice according to her brother, Sun Quan. The thought of Sun Shang Xiang married made Lu Ba laugh.

Cheers from outside the gate meant that the campaign party was getting closer. Everyone around them scrambled to line up to greet Lords Sun Jian, Sun Ce, and Sun Quan. Lu Ba noticed Zhou Xun standing between his father and mother. Zhou Yu was saying something to Sun Shang Xiang, who was standing next to him, while Xiao Qiao was busy rocking baby Zhou Yin in her arms. The only other kid in line was Sun Yi, who was standing next to her mother, Da Qiao. She was the oldest of the children there, and therefore the bossiest. Lu Ba grinned as he remembered her screaming down the halls earlier that morning, something about Cousin Zhou Xun putting frogs in her bed and Uncle Zhou Yu not doing anything about it. She may be older, but she couldn't boss them around. Plus, he didn't have the heart to tell her that it was he who put them there; Zhou Xun had been content to watch and giggle from the doorway.

The gates ahead of them opened and the crowd roared as the party made their way into the capital. Sun Jian waved to the crowd atop his horse, flanked on either side by his sons. Behind him rode the rest of the soldiers, jumping out of line to greet loved ones then quickly jumping back so as not to get in trouble. It took them no time at all to make it to the stairs of the palace. Sun Jian and his sons dismounted and made their way up to the others. All three of them hugged Lady Sun, who gave them a quick report of their doings in their absence. Then Sun Jian began his way down the line. Lu Ba saw him say something to Zhou Xun, who responded with a smile. Soon, the leader of Wu made it to the Lu family.

"I trust everything has been going well without me, Lu Meng. No problems with the soldiers?" Lu Meng had always been in charge of overseeing the soldiers when Sun Jian was gone. He was well known for being fair to them but always making sure they worked.

"None at all, my Lord. But of course, I have been having help." Sun Jian smiled as he turned to Li Tai.

"I would expect nothing less from the wife of Lu Meng." She grinned and bowed, and Sun Jian turned to Lu Ba. "Or of his son. Are you making sure the soldiers all stay in line?"

Lu Ba puffed out his chest with pride. "Of course, Lord Sun Jian!" He bowed low, causing a laugh to leave the Tiger of Jiang Dong.

"You will be a fine warrior someday, Lu Ba. I can see it already. Again, I would expect nothing less from the son of Lu Meng and Li Tai." He moved on, but Lu Ba continued to watch him as he finished greeting the line. A great warrior like his father and mother. Those words filled the young boy with pride. After all, his parents were famed not only throughout the Kingdom of Wu, but all of China. If Sun Jian said it, then it must be true. Lu Ba was ready to burst with excitement.

The line turned to leave for the feast, but Lu Ba stayed behind. He wanted to be the last to walk in to the feast. Sun Jian's words still lingered in his mind, forcing him to grin broadly. He had been working hard since Sun Jian and his sons had left on campaigns. But he didn't think all his work would show this soon. It felt fantastic.

"I don't know what Lord Sun Jian said to you, but I'm guessing it was good." Lu Ba whipped around to see a tall, armored figure standing behind him. Despite his menacing appearance, however, Lu Ba ran to him and looked up into his deep, dark eyes. They didn't scare him, for he had those same eyes.

"They were good, Uncle. He said I would turn out to be a great warrior like mom and dad. It's what I've always wanted to be. Do you think he knows how hard I've been training?"

Zhou Tai smiled. "Perhaps. Lord Sun Jian always seems to know these things." He looked down the long hallway, which was now almost completely empty. "Shall we go join your parents at the feast? They're probably wondering where you are." Lu Ba nodded and bounded down the hall after them. Zhou Tai shook his head, a helpless grin spreading across his face. He was so much like his parents, it was scary. Slowly, he reached up and ran a finger down the scar that disfigured his face. Was it really not that long ago that he scared everyone who saw his face? Now here he was, watching his nephew run after his parents, none of whom gave his scar a second thought. Everything seemed to have happened so quickly. Yet now, time seemed to stand still.

His grin grew wider as he turned and followed Lu Ba down the hall, his cape billowing out behind him. He kind of liked the calm now. There was time now. Time to enjoy the simple things in life. And Zhou Tai wasn't going to waste another minute.


End file.
